Escape to Love
by ZacFan18
Summary: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy. Troy Bolton finds himself reluctantly leading one of his mother's lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary...
1. Chapter 1

**Escape to Love**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary... **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Don't worry...'Tis the Season will continue as I'm able and inspired to write it. Also, believe it or not, there is a final LBMF chapter (epilogue part II) that is half written. But, I've had this new story in mind for some time now and I'm kind of excited about it. It was inspired in part by a movie from 1962 called Rome Adventure (with another Troy in it!), by other movies set in Italy, and also by my own vacation in Italy years ago. I also wanted to do a story in which Troy and Gabriella did not immediately hit it off. :-) So, I hope you like it. Please hit that lovely review button and let me know. -) Thanks for reading!

* * *

Gabriella Montez had always been a fairly reasonable and sane girl, but this, she reasoned, was crazy. How she found herself sitting on an hour flight to Italy, following a nine hour flight to Zurich, all by herself, with no idea what to expect from the next four weeks, was beyond her. When she thought back to her friends…oh, that term felt a bit loose right now…and their actions that had led her to be sitting here feeling more unsure of herself than she had ever felt before, she seriously wanted to throttle them.

**4 months ago…**

"Gabs, screw him! He's so not worthy of you – your beauty, your intelligence, your caring, sweet nature…and he had no right..."

"Well, thanks," Gabriella managed past another sniffle, "but it still feels like crap," she told her best friend of 18 years, Taylor McKessie.

"I know, Hun, but it'll get better. I promise."

"Thanks, Tay! Thanks for listening to me blubber."

"Nonsense, you're not blubbering…just detoxing from that toxic piece of…"

"Tay," Gabriella interrupted, "can we just…talk about something else now?"

"Oh…sure thing, Gabi," Taylor replied with a small smile. "So, did you hear about the outrageous role Sharpay's auditioning for?"

"Um…no, but Sharpay is outrageous…so maybe it's a perfect fit."

"That's just it. The role is for a tomboy girl-next-door type…"

Gabriella stared back at her friend incredulously.

"Exactly!" Taylor exclaimed, seeing the recognition cross Gabriella's face. "That's what's so outrageous!"

Gabriella laughed then, so thankful that her good friend knew just how to get her mind on other things and how to get her to laugh, at that.

**2 months ago…**

"So, Gab, what did you think of Jared? Hot, huh?"

"That's about all he had going for him, Shar."

"Uh huh…what's your point?"

"My point is it wasn't a very successful date. We had nothing to talk about and…I don't know…I told you I wasn't really interested in dating again yet."

"You don't have to date him, Gab…but when a hunky present like that falls into your lap, strip off its clothes and have fun with it!" Sharpay exclaimed with exasperation.

"Shar…I'm not interested in some one night stand."

"Why the heck not? Seriously, Gabi, live a little. Be safe…by all means, be safe, but have some fun. It doesn't all have to be about commitments and drama."

"That's just not me, Shar. And as to the rest of it, well I'm not really looking for a commitment or any more drama either. I just…I don't know…I wanna focus on me for a while, I guess. Does that make sense?"

"I suppose…though, for the record, you could focus on you and the needs you have as a woman…"

Gabriella rolled her eyes at her friend's single-minded focus. "I'm good, Shar," she interrupted, "really…but thank you very much for caring and for trying to help me with my womanly needs." She drew out those last two words with a fair amount of humor in her voice.

"You're welcome, my sad, sad, deprived friend. Man…Jared…such a waste…" Sharpay lamented.

"Taylor! Kelsi!" Gabriella exclaimed with happiness and some relief, seeing her two other girlfriends approaching the table at which she and Sharpay had been seated at the restaurant.

The women all exchanged hello's and slipped into comfortable conversation, catching up on each other's work, family, and social life news. Sharpay, however, eventually brought the conversation back to Gabriella's lack of activity with the opposite sex, much to Gabriella's annoyance.

"Can't I just focus on me? Why do I have to be trying to hop in the sack with a man to prove I'm doing fine?"

"Hey Gabs…you know you don't have to. I think Sharpay just thought it wouldn't be a bad way to be moving on with your life," Kelsi put in. "But only you know what's best for you."

"Yes, Gabs. That's true. So, tell us more…how do you plan to focus on you more? Do you have any fun goals you're working toward or any fun plans for you?" Taylor asked encouragingly.

"Um…" Gabriella felt somewhat backed into a corner. When she'd said she wanted to focus on herself right now, she'd just been using that line as an excuse because it sounded good to her own ears. What that statement actually translated to roughly was 'Men are selfish pigs; they only hurt you in the end, and I don't think I wish to get tangled up in any more hurt, thank you very much.' Her friends waited for her to continue. "Well, er, I'm not sure." She looked around the room for inspiration. 'Of course.' They were eating at an Italian restaurant and the walls were littered with photos of famous sites like the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Ponte Vecchio. "I'd kind of like to do some traveling."

This answer had led to much discussion over places they had all been and places they'd like to go. Given their current setting, Italy had been a natural topic of discussion and one Gabriella had enjoyed...in theory.

**Six weeks ago...**

"Gabs, we have a surprise for you," Taylor said once they'd finished their dinner and ordered dessert.

"Oh no...you didn't tell them it's my birthday, did you?"

"No, girl. That's a pact we made. We're not breaking it."

"Oooookayyy..."

"You're gonna love this," Sharpay enthused and Kelsi nodded her agreement.

Gabriella looked from face to face with nervous anticipation, not sure what to expect.

"You're goin' to Italy!" three excited voices exclaimed at once.

"Ummm...what?"

"Happy...day we're not going to advertise in a restaurant that has singing waiters," Taylor replied.

"We wanted to do something really nice for you," Kelsi put in.

"Nice? That's too nice," Gabriella responded, still confused about the conversation that was unfolding.

"Hush! It is not. You deserve this," Taylor said.

"And Sharpay knew someone who knew someone so it's not as generous as you think it is," Kelsi assured.

"S'true," Sharpay confirmed. "And it's just what you wanted, so no arguing!"

"I'm...wow, I'm just...I can't accept this..." Gabriella nearly stuttered.

"You can and you will!" her friends responded with exasperation and decisiveness.

**One month ago...**

"Gabriella, I was having lunch with Sharpay the other day and she was telling me all about the trip they're trying to get you to take," said Nancy Chambers, Executive Editor at Modern Woman Magazine, and Gabriella's boss. Nancy was Sharpay's aunt. While Gabriella had gotten her writing position at the magazine on her own merit, it was still kind of nice that her boss was someone she had known for several years already through Sharpay. Nice most of the time, anyway.

"Oh, no worries, Nancy. I wouldn't up and leave the magazine for that long. It was a really sweet thing for the girls to offer, but I'm going to contact the tour company and cancel."

"Oh, no you're not," Nancy said with the no-nonsense confidence she was known for.

"Why not?" Gabriella asked, a bit of a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"First of all, it'll be good for you."

"Nancy..."

"And second of all," Nancy continued, "it'll be perfect for the magazine. I've been wanting to do some kind of 'the grand European adventure: the trip every woman should take' kind of piece. Or perhaps 'one woman's Italian adventure'...something like that."

"And you wanted to do this soon?"

"Yep."

"And you think I'm the right person for this piece?" Gabriella nearly croaked out.

"Most definitely."

Gabriella sat staring at Nancy in silence, considering her options.

"Gabriella, this is the kind of piece that a feature writer dreams about. You want this."

From a writing perspective, she did want this. It just seemed like things were moving too fast for her and outside of her own control. And she was intimidated. But, sitting across from her boss in that big office of hers, which she had earned by taking on daring assignments, Gabriella found herself slowly nodding her agreement and seeing Nancy's resulting huge smile.

**One day ago...**

"Well, I think you've packed well."

"Thanks, Tay. I still can't believe I'm doing this."

"I know. But, I think that's why it's a really good thing for you to do."

"Maybe so. I hope so. Wish you guys were coming with me."

"We do too," Kelsi said sweetly, "but this is a Gabriella Montez exclusive. You go get 'em girl."

Gabriella smiled at this.

"Here. Add these," Sharpay said, digging through Gabriella's lingerie drawer and handing over some black lacy pieces.

Gabriella raised her eyebrows questioningly at this, but took the pieces and threw them into her suitcase. Sometimes, there was just no point in arguing with Sharpay...often times. She really didn't see much need for the sexy lingerie, but figured it wasn't taking up much space in the suitcase either.

"And this is for your carry-on," Taylor said, handing over a book she produced from her purse. It was a traveler's guide to Italy, including some basic Italian-English translations.

"These too," Sharpay said, producing a few gossip magazines. "For reading on the plane."

"And these," Kelsi added, handing over a few snack items, also for the plane.

"Thanks, girls! I still think..."

"Stop," Sharpay interrupted.

Gabriella looked at her, confused.

"Stop thinking. Just do and be...and tell us all about it later, of course."

"She's right, Gabs...much as I hate uttering those words," Taylor said with humor.

"Gee, thanks, Tay," Sharpay replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Come on, you three," Kelsi jumped in, ever the peacemaker. "Let's go grab some dinner. We won't be able to all do that together for weeks."

They all agreed and headed out to have a lovely dinner. Having good girlfriends was the best...until it left you alone on a plane to Europe.

* * *

**Two weeks ago...**

Troy Bolton paced furiously across the room. "Mother, no!"

"Gail…maybe…"

"No, Jack…he'll do this."

"I am not a child, mother."

"No, you're not a child…you're my child…and what kind of child is so ungrateful…?"

"But I was going to..."

"What? Go whore around in a futile attempt to forget all that happened with Katherine?"

"Nice, mom...real nice."

Gail's voice softened a bit. "But not untrue, is it?"

Troy turned to stare out the glass doors that connected to the veranda. He bit the inside of his lip, the rusty taste of blood filling his mouth. He knew his mother was right. She had a way of knowing him to a tee and also of being completely straight with him, no matter how much the truth hurt at times.

"Troy...I would really appreciate it if you could lead this tour. Your father and I could really use a break and you're so good at it. I bet you'll have fun in the long run. And you've moped long enough."

Troy remained silent.

"She wasn't the right one, son," Jack put in.

"Obviously," Troy replied in a bitter tone.

"Sweetheart, you hurt because you opened your heart and you gave all you had to give," Gail said gently.

"I won't make that mistake again."

"It's not a mistake. I know it feels like one, but it's not. Don't let your experience with Katherine make you someone other than who you are."

"And who is that anyway?"

"Someone who will charm all of our tour guests in a couple weeks," Gail said with a knowing smile.

Troy blew out a breath. "Fine. I'll do this tour. I'll be charming. I'll keep them all happy..."

"Don't keep them too happy," Gail replied in a flat, warning tone, knowing her son's way of coping these last six months had been anything but virtuous.

Jack cleared his throat uncomfortably.

Troy couldn't help the small smirk that appeared on his face. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

As she entered the hotel lobby, she could hear high-pitched feminine squeals. She turned to see that they were coming from the pool area, out behind the reception area. As no one was immediately available at the desk, she watched for several more moments, soon enough seeing the cause of those sounds of delight.

Tan, muscular, flashing his dazzling pearly whites, sunglasses making him look ultra cool like he should be plastered on a billboard somewhere or in magazine ads selling something unnecessary to girls who would buy empty matchboxes from him for the chance to drool in his presence for two minutes, and guys who longed to turn those girls' heads in their direction.

But not Gabriella. She wanted nothing to do with that brand of smooth. Not anymore. No matter how much he looked like a Greek (or maybe Roman?) god of abdominal awesomeness as he rose from the pool, dripping water and reaching for his towel. Naturally, no less than five women tried to hand one to him. Gabriella turned away, disgusted by the scene. Hearing a melodious giggle moments later, she let herself be drawn in once again. Now he was rubbing lotion on a leggy blonde's back. 'Ugh,' Gabriella thought, 'womanizers!'

"Signorina? Uh, signorina? Can I help you?"

Gabriella was brought out of her spying by the kind-looking older man who now stood behind the reception counter.

"Oh, um, yes. My name is Gabriella Montez and I'm with the Escape to Italy tour group. I'm meeting up with them a day late due to a work conflict and I thought someone was supposed to meet me at the airport, but that never happened, so I got a taxi to bring me here...and I'll stop talking now...sorry."

The man behind the counter looked somewhat amused.

"I see, Signorina Montez. And I apologize. I'm not sure what happened but we can certainly get you checked into your room and started with the group's itinerary this evening."

"Thank you..."

"Roberto," the kindly gentleman supplied.

"I really appreciate this, Roberto."

"My pleasure, signorina."

Once Roberto checked her in and retrieved her room key, he asked her to wait for a moment so that he could have the bellhop assist her to her room. Gabriella complied, moving off to the side into an alcove by the elevators and examining the artwork there. As she did so, she overheard more voices in the lobby. 'Oh great...the squealers.'

"But, Troy, you haven't done my back yet!" one protested.

"How 'bout I rub lotion on you?" another enticed.

"We've barely begun swimming," another whined.

"Ladies, ladies, I would love to stay with you but unfortunately I have some business I must attend to."

Sighs and pouts ensued.

Troy produced a slight pout of his own, giving them his best disappointed face. "I know. I know. But, why don't you girls go back to swimming and sunning those beautiful bodies of yours and know that I'll be counting down the minutes until I get to be in your presence again at dinner."

'Oh, I may throw up,' Gabriella thought, rolling her eyes.

The faux charm seemed to work and the girls said their reluctant goodbyes and scurried back to the pool. Troy, apparently the name of the ab god, gave a last smile and wave in the direction of the pool before turning smoothly and sauntering up to the desk.

"Signor Bolton," Roberto began.

"Roberto, what's up my man? Have you seen the hard work I've been putting in out there?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows around with amusement.

Roberto just shook his head with a grin. "Oh, Signor Bolton, you may be one of the hardest working men in the business."

"I'm not in the business, Roberto, and don't you forget it. Mom just backed me into a corner again. This is just temporary. Anyway, I have to go. I think I was supposed to pick some late chick up at the airport today."

Realization dawned on Roberto's face. Troy leaned over the counter and grabbed a set of keys from the desktop, tossing them in the air and catching them as he started to turn toward the exit. "If the tourbus is a rockin', don't come a knockin'," he tossed over his shoulder with a smirk.

"Signor Bolton, wait!"

Troy turned back toward the counter with a frown. "Signor Bolton is my father, Roberto. Please remember to just call me Troy, okay?"

"Yes, okay...Troy. But I think the woman you were supposed to pick up is already here."

Troy gave him a curious look.

"I just checked in Signorina Gabriella Montez a few minutes ago. She said no one ever showed up for her at the airport."

"Oh, damn. Well, don't tell them that," Troy said, motioning with his head toward the pool area. "I think I'm just going to go take a breather till dinner then."

"Okay, Signor...Troy."

Troy smiled and put the keys back down on the desktop before turning and starting to head in Gabriella's direction. Gabriella's head snapped back to the painting in front of her. She overheard Roberto tell Troy that she was over here waiting on the bellhop. "Eh, I got it, man," she heard him say and then she saw him striding confidently in her direction out of the corner of her eye.

"Ah, Botticelli's Birth of Venus...classic. We'll see it this week at the Uffizi. Of august gold-wreathed and beautiful Aphrodite I shall sing to whose domain belong the battlements of all sea-loved Cyprus where, blown by the moist breath of Zephyros, she was carried over the waves of the resounding sea on soft foam. The gold-filleted Horae happily welcomed her and clothed her with heavenly raiment."

Gabriella turned to face him, a fake smile plastered on her face. She wanted to call him on trying to impress her with his cheesy memorization of poetic lines, but instead she played dumb and asked in her best perky, high-pitched voice, "Oh, are you the bellhop?"

"I'm many things, signorina. Right now, for you, I'll be a bellhop."

"Oh, much obliged," she simpered purposefully.

Troy grinned, flashing that winning smile.

'Damn. That is a great smile,' she thought.

Troy retrieved her suitcases and smaller items and put them on a cart. He then motioned for her to go in front of him into the elevator and swiftly followed.

"Let's see what room Roberto has you in," Troy said smoothly, reaching to twist the key in Gabriella's hand. Gabriella felt an electricity when his fingers brushed her hand. She pulled back instinctively and looked up to see the surprise cross Troy's face as she did so. He quickly recovered.

"Um, it's room 302," she offered.

"Oh, wow. That's right next to me. I'm in 301."

"Oh, lucky me," she fake enthused.

As the elevator doors opened, Troy pushed the cart out allowing Gabriella to exit. At her door, he waited as she opened it and then took her luggage into the room, setting it at the foot of her bed.

"Well, normally I would tip...but since you're not really a bellhop..."

"No tip needed," Troy said with a chuckle. "I'm Troy, by the way. Troy Bolton. I'm leading the current Escape to Italy tour." He held his hand out and she shook it brusquely.

"And I am some late chick," she stated flatly.

Troy's eyes widened briefly at this. "Yes, um, Roberto was telling me of your arrival. You're Gabriella, right?"

"Is that the name you would have put on the placard you held up at the airport?"

Troy cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Yes, er, about that...I'm really sorry. The day got away from me."

"Mmm...I'm sure."

"Well, I'm glad you made it here fine and I assure you that you will have a great time on this tour."

Gabriella's hard stare was her only response.

Troy paused before continuing. "Well, Roberto will have given you the itinerary. We meet downstairs at 8pm for dinner in the hotel restaurant. If you have any questions, just let me know. Call, knock, or stand by the wall and yell."

His attempt at a joke failed miserably. What was with this woman?

"Anyway, Gabriella, it's been a pleasure to meet you and I'll be counting down the minutes until I get to be in your presence again at dinner." With that, he flashed one more smile at her and turned on his heel to strut toward her open door.

"Mr. Bolton?" Gabriella spoke just as he was setting foot back into the hallway again.

Troy turned, curious and figuring the Bolton charm had gotten to her after all. "Troy. You can just call me Troy."

"I do have a tip for you after all," she continued, ignoring his reply about his first name. "Work on your lines. You just used that one about fifteen minutes ago downstairs."

Troy raised an eyebrow at her.

"Also, watches are wonderful things. You can buy one most anywhere. Oh, and...Troy..." she uttered his name with distaste, "if the tourbus is a rockin', I won't be anywhere near it."

And with that, she pushed the door shut decisively in his face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Escape to Love Chapter 2**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Thanks y'all for the reviews and encouragement! I really appreciate it and I love hearing what parts you particularly liked. :-) Glad you like the story so far. Here's the next chapter - enjoy!

* * *

Troy stood in the hallway staring at the closed door for several moments before turning and slowly walking over to his room. 'What the hell just happened?' he thought to himself, entering his room and plopping himself down on the bed. He really had meant to be at the airport on time earlier. He was just caught up doing what he was supposed to be doing - keeping the guests happy. Well, apparently, he was failing with one.

She didn't have any right to be eavesdropping on him anyway. So what if he'd said the same thing about looking forward to seeing her at dinner. In her case, he may have meant it. In the looks department, she was definitely his type: a petite, dark beauty with curves that were natural and just right. Her eyes were mesmerizing too - shiny, dark pools...intense. Like she apparently was. Well, whatever. If she wanted to be a bitch, then screw her...hmm...not an entirely unappealing thought...

Troy got up from the bed and strode toward the bathroom, removing and tossing his t-shirt and slipping off his swim trunks and flip flops along the way. He turned the shower faucet, waiting until the water ran nice and hot, just the way he liked it. As he stepped in and let the heat soothe his tense muscles, he resolved to give Miss Gabriella Montez another chance. She'd clearly had a less than optimal travel day. And his bus comment would have sounded cocky and presumptuous. She certainly hadn't had a chance to really experience the Bolton charm. Yeah, she'd be in line to sit next to him for breakfast, he was sure of it.

Troy didn't really care if there was a line of girls; he had just grown used to it of late. His mother had worried about him whoring it...but wasn't that what she hoped he'd do here to keep her precious tour prospering? Maybe not in the physical sense of the word, but she did know he could sell his goods, so to speak, one way or another. Well, he was keeping the ladies happy. He was flirting and complimenting and generally throwing the charm around...and he planned to do a bit more than that as the tour progressed. Some were younger college girls hoping to hook up. Others were wives, here with their husbands for the tour but shamelessly flirting with him. And then there was this new chick. She seemed more his age and he hadn't noticed a ring, so she wasn't married anyway. It would be interesting to see how she fit in with the rest of the group.

Aside from the college girls and couples, there was the author, doing research for his book on Italian culture. And there was the older gentleman, traveling with his grown daughters, a widower. Well, he'd see how it all went at dinner. Maybe he'd surprise her a bit. Maybe she'd find herself next door in his room.

* * *

Gabriella almost laughed as she walked away from the door. She'd really caught him off guard. Well, good. He deserved it. Not every woman was foolish enough to go for that cocky, womanizing bullshit. And she knew she was through with it in her life. And just because he was incredibly handsome and those deep blue eyes were hypnotizingly beautiful didn't mean he could be so disrespectful. She hoped he would get the message she had sent loud and clear and would stick to putting his moves on his groupies and leave her alone. She was here for time and space and to learn a bit about Italy so she could write up a kick-ass article and impress her boss. She was absolutely not here for entanglements, especially not with pretty boy man-whores.

Gabriella took some time to unpack a bit. They'd be staying here in Florence for several days. Opening her suitcase, she saw a small drugstore bag sitting in one corner. She didn't recall putting that there. Uncertain, she picked it up and looked inside, blowing out a breath and rolling her eyes as she saw what was inside. She removed the box of condoms so that she could read the post-it attached to it.

"You'd better open this box! XOXO, Shar"

Gabriella put the box back into the bag and tucked it back into her suitcase. She had no intention of opening it. That's not why she was here. She proceeded to remove the dress she'd be wearing to dinner this evening, hanging it up in her closet. Soon, another dress, a skirt, and several shirts joined it and she laid a few pairs of shorts and pants, along with undergarments in her dresser drawers.

Satisfied with her partial unpacking, she moved over to the glass door leading to her own balcony. She could see that the view was breathtaking - mountains, ancient ornate architecture mixed in with simple but beautiful terra cotta rooftops. The sun was beginning its descent in the sky. Ah...this was nice. Maybe the girls had been onto something after all. Maybe this was just the trip she needed at this time in her life.

She was about to open the door and step out onto her balcony when she noticed movement off to her left. She saw the bare foot, then the white towel, then the abs rippling above it... Shit. That's right. He had told her he was in the room next to hers. She quickly stepped back and pulled the curtain shut over her door. She didn't wish to deal with him again so soon. Maybe she could get a different room. She certainly didn't want to have to hear his parade of squealing girls anyway. Yes, she would call Roberto and check on that...

"Mi scusi, signorina, but all of our rooms are occupied right now. Yours was the last one filled."

"Are you sure, Roberto?"

"I am, signorina. Many apologies."

"That's okay, Roberto. Just please let me know if anything changes."

"Certainly, signorina."

"Grazie."

And with that, Gabriella hung up the phone. Okay, Gabriella, you will just have to bear with it for a few days. You can do that. He probably won't bother you anyway.

* * *

'No such luck,' she thought as she opened the door an hour later, dressed for dinner and ready to head downstairs to meet the rest of her tour group. There he stood confidently, more dressed than the last time she'd seen him, wearing nice slacks and a button down shirt with a sport coat. He held his arm up and looked toward his wrist. Her eyes followed.

"97 minutes. I was counting down...I found one of these nifty things...a watch, did you call it?...and it made the counting so much easier."

Gabriella fought the corners of her lips as they involuntarily began to rise. Instead, she offered him a dull stare.

Troy would not be ruffled. "Oh, come on now, Miss Montez...may I call you Gabriella?"

After no further response, he continued. "Okay, Gabriella it is. Anyway, Gabriella, we have a month ahead of us. We're going to see each other nearly every day for a month. Does it have to be unpleasant? I don't think so. I think we should start over."

Gabriella took all this in. He had a point, but she still wasn't going to get swept away by his false charm.

"Sooo," he continued, "Hello. I'm Troy. And you are?"

"Only interested in touring Italy."

"Noted."

"Fine. Can we go to dinner now?" she said, irritation in her voice as she pushed far enough into the hallway to turn and close her door, forcing Troy to step back.

"Thought you'd never ask," Troy responded with a mischievous grin, offering his arm for her to take.

Gabriella glanced at the arm briefly and then strode forward towards the elevators, ignoring it.

Troy chuckled to himself and followed her. Reaching the elevators, Gabriella pushed the down button and they waited.

"So...have you ever been to Italy before?" Troy asked with a friendly tone.

Gabriella stared at the elevator doors, willing a car to arrive. 'It's a month, Gabriella. You're going to have to talk to him sometimes. Making small talk does not mean you like him and it certainly doesn't mean you'll fall into bed with him...' Gabriella shook off the resulting mental image that thought produced and answered Troy's question.

"No. This is my first visit to Italy."

Just then an elevator car arrived and they got on it. As they began their descent, Troy continued the conversation.

"And what brings you here now?"

'Well, that's a loaded question,' Gabriella thought. But he didn't need to know the full reason.

"I've always wanted to see Italy. Friends who've been have loved it. And my boss wanted a European travel feature for an upcoming issue of our magazine, so I was more than happy to take that assignment." He didn't need to know how very unconfident she had actually felt about the whole thing.

The elevator doors opened and they arrived at the lobby. Troy pointed and led the way down a side corridor toward the hotel restaurant.

"Sounds like a win-win. What magazine do you write for?"

"Modern Woman."

This made Troy smile. "I might have guessed that."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "Why?"

"You just seem like you embody the name."

"Because I'm not chasing you around like a giggling schoolgirl and falling for whatever bullshit lines you're serving up?"

Troy shook his head and sighed. "Because you've flown here on your own, to tour a different country for a month, in the name of adventure and your career. That exudes 'modern' to me."

Gabriella didn't have a chance to reply. As they reached the end of the corridor, they reached the restaurant entrance...and there waited the Troy Bolton fan club.

"Troy! We've saved you a seat!"

"Troy, darling, come sit over here!"

"Troy, I've missed you. Did you miss me?"

Troy took it all in stride. "Ladies, ladies, you all look lovely tonight. Of course I've missed your wonderful company, but tonight Signorina Montez and I must discuss the feature article she'll be writing during our Italian adventure."

Some ears perked up at this. Some mouths turned down into frowns. Gabriella didn't have a chance to see all the facial reactions, as Troy placed his hand on her lower back and guided her to a table near the back of the restaurant, a table for two. Gabriella's voice found her once more and she began to protest.

"Mr. Bolton..."

"Troy."

"Troy, this really isn't necessary and it won't exactly endear me to much of the group."

"The giggling schoolgirls you're so fond of?" Troy baited in a lowered voice.

Again, Gabriella fought her urge to smile. Why was he making her want to smile?

"Everyone, Troy. You're the host. Why should I get special treatment?"

"Because you're a VIP," Troy said, moving to pull out a chair for her, "and you're new. I need to give you your tour group orientation. Now, sit...please."

Gabriella looked around and saw that some others were watching her curiously while most had gone about the business of having their dinner. Weighing her options, she reluctantly sat down and let him slide her chair back toward the table.

"You made that up, and I really don't want to be thought of as a VIP, just another traveler."

Troy looked at her as if measuring something. "I doubt you're ever just another anything. In any event, you can try to blend in tomorrow, if that's possible."

Gabriella stared at him, not sure how to respond, but he continued on so she didn't have to.

"And as for the orientation, you really did miss one. Basic stuff - you'll receive a daily itinerary. Stick to it. If you need to be back to the bus by 5, be back by 5."

Gabriella pursed her lips and looked pointedly at him.

Troy raised his hands up defensively in front of him. "As will I, as will I."

A waiter came and poured water into their glasses and left with instructions from Troy to return with a particular wine.

"Anything else?" Gabriella asked.

"Respect your fellow travelers and respect the Italian people and local laws and customs. I'll instruct the group on any of these that are pertinent as we go, like being properly dressed to enter churches and such."

"Okay."

"You don't have to tip me...although I've found your tips so far to be quite helpful."

Gabriella rolled her eyes.

The waiter returned and poured a bit of wine for Troy to sample. Having given his approval, the waiter poured some for each of them and left the bottle.

Troy lifted his glass. "A toast."

Gabriella lifted hers as well. "To no more toasts."

Troy shook his head. Man, she was tough.

"To the pleasure of travel."

Gabriella did not miss the inflection of Troy's voice as he said the word "pleasure." "To travel," she said, clinking her glass with his and then taking a sip of the smooth red liquid.

Troy chuckled to himself and took a sip of his wine as well.

The waiter dropped off a basket of bread and rolls. Troy motioned to the basket. "You must be hungry."

Gabriella nodded and proceeded to enjoy a roll. Troy did so as well.

"Have I received my full orientation now?"

"For the most part. The rest of the schpeal is about being sure to pack up thoroughly at each stop so you don't leave anything behind anywhere and being careful with your money and personal belongings, as there are pickpockets and others who prey on tourists."

"Will do."

"And, finally, I'm here to make your trip everything you want it to be. Ask me questions at any time and let me know if there's _anything_ I can do to make the trip more _pleasant_ and _memorable_ for you."

Again with the innuendos...and that twinkle in his eye...this guy was too much.

"Well...you can help me get to know my fellow tour-mates. For instance, who's that gentleman over there?"

Troy looked momentarily thrown off his game but then he recovered. "That's Ivan Gentry. He's writing a book on Italian culture."

"Oh, so we have something in common then."

"Yes...yes, you do." Troy watched as she surreptitiously eyed the author, seeming to like what she saw. 'Seriously?' he thought. 'I'm being full-on charming Troy and she's asking me about another guy?'

Gabriella smiled to herself. Troy mistook the smile for an approving appraisal of Ivan Gentry but Gabriella was just amused that she'd derailed Troy's come on attempt. That was too much fun.

"Hmm. I'll just have to introduce myself later."

Troy forced a smile and a quick nod just as the food arrived. The restaurant served the same meal to the whole tour group. Tonight, they were having tagliata with gorgonzola, thin slices of rare, boneless steak topped off with melted gorgonzola. Gabriella looked delighted by the plate in front of her. Troy thought it was kind of adorable, actually.

"The restaurant here is first-rate. Our taste buds will leave happy."

Gabriella quirked a brow at him and took a bite of her tagliata. She watched Troy do the same.

"Mmm...that is delicious," she concurred, causing Troy to smile. 'Okay, that one almost seemed natural,' Gabriella thought. 'No, he's all show. Just remember that, Gabriella.'

They ate in silence for a few moments.

"So…you haven't really missed anything. Today was a free day for everyone to either relax and let themselves adjust after any jetlag or to go explore the city on their own if they felt comfortable doing so."

Gabriella nodded and continued eating. Troy took another bite himself and studied the woman in front of him some more. Her simple print dress clung to her in all the right places, but revealed only enough to entice. Her long, dark curls spread out over her shoulders and disappeared down her back. Her delicate hands maneuvered her silverware gracefully, bringing another bite up to disappear behind her full lips. Before he began to envision too clearly what else he might want to disappear behind those lips, Troy shifted in his chair, cleared his throat and asked her a conversational question.

"Is there any place or thing you're most looking forward to seeing while you're here?"

"Oh, I don't know if I could choose one. I'm definitely looking forward to the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio here in Florence, and of course the Statue of David."

Troy nodded and Gabriella continued.

"And Rome...the Colloseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Sistine Chapel...and Pisa and Venice..." Gabriella drifted off dreamily for a moment. "Told you I couldn't pick one."

Troy grinned. "Luckily, you won't have to. I think you'll also like some of the other scenic areas too like Amalfi and Lago Maggiore."

"I'm sure I will," Gabriella agreed, doubting there would be much of Italy she wouldn't enjoy seeing. "So…Bolton? Your family owns the tour company, right?"

The smile faded from Troy's face slightly. "Yep."

"And you're obviously as American as I am. What brought your family here?"

"Actually, my grandmother, my mom's mom, lives here. When my parents hit their midlife crisis, they decided to pick up and leave the states and move here. We visited plenty when I was a kid and they'd fallen in love with Italia. Plus, my mom wanted to be closer to my grandma."

"Wow."

"Yeah. Since my mom was a travel agent stateside, she had the idea to open her own tour company here and my dad, well, he's a businessman...profit always sounds like a good idea to him."

"And you...always dreamed of showing Italy to tourists?"

Troy laughed. "I...had other reasons to be here...and the tours...well, that's just my mom being...persuasive."

Gabriella could tell he didn't wish to elaborate on his 'other reasons' for being in Italy. She could respect that. "Moms often are," she replied, a hint of mirth in her voice. 'Friends too,' she thought.

Troy smiled at this but decided to change the topic. "So, dessert tonight is panna cotta."

"And what is panna cotta?" Gabriella asked with interest.

"It's molded cream with hot chocolate sauce...delicious," Troy explained. Just as he'd finished his explanation, he felt a presence behind him. Turning, he saw Stephanie, a junior from UCLA traveling with several of her sorority sisters. They'd had fun at the pool earlier and they had hinted at the possibility of more fun later this evening. Troy had nearly forgotten. "Hey Steph. This is Gabriella Montez," he said, by way of introduction. "Gabriella Montez, this is Stephanie Norwood."

'Lovely,' Gabriella thought, nodding with fake politeness at the now seemingly tipsy leggy blonde she'd spied Troy with earlier in the day.

Stephanie gave Gabriella the briefest of nods before leaning down over Troy's shoulder, placing a key in front of him, and huskily saying into his ear, "My extra one...for later."

Troy gave her a look which showed no sign of disagreement and Gabriella placed her fork down, decidedly finished with her meal.

"You know what...I think I'm going to skip dessert tonight...I've had my fill."

Troy looked back at her, surprised and a bit disappointed. "You should never skip dessert," he protested.

Gabriella rose from her seat and motioned for Stephanie to sit down if she wanted to. "Maybe you should skip dessert more often," she said crisply, giving him a meaningful look before turning and exiting the restaurant.

Troy stared after her, partly bemused and partly irritated. Again, what right did this woman have to judge him? Or was it jealousy? Hmm. Maybe he'd think more about Miss Hard-To-Get later. For now, Miss Here's My Room Key was sitting in front of him trying to engage him in some serious eye sex. Heh. He'd have as much 'dessert' tonight as he wanted.

* * *

As Gabriella walked away, she wondered why it bothered her so much. Yes, he had the smoothness Michael had shown and, as she well knew, others had been drawn to Michael too and he had never said "no" to any 'extra dessert.' What was it with these men that they felt like they had to collect women like baseball cards?

Still, Troy Bolton was just a guy who had been blessed in the looks department, had a way with words, and had gotten suckered into leading his mother's tour. And she'd nearly enjoyed his company tonight...a little...maybe. Anyway, he was her tour guide, nothing more. Her initial instinct to keep her distance was spot on.

Reaching the elevators, she noticed one was already open and saw part of a figure inside. "Oh, could you hold the elevator, please?" she called.

He did. When Gabriella reached the elevator, she saw that it was the author, Ivan Gentry, who stood inside. His hand was holding the door and he offered her a kind smile.

"Thank you," she said, entering the elevator and pushing the number three.

"Ivan Gentry," he said, introducing himself and holding out his hand to her.

Gabriella shook it and introduced herself.

"Did I hear correctly that you're writing a feature article while you're here?" Ivan asked with interest.

"Well, yes, I am, in fact," Gabriella confirmed.

"A girl abroad type piece?"

"Yes. I think that's the angle my editor is aiming for."

"And what magazine do you write for?"

"Modern Woman."

"Ah...Nancy Chambers, right?"

"Yes, she's our Executive Editor. Do you know her?"

"I've met her before at industry luncheons. I've done freelance writing for a number of magazines, but now I'm trying my hand at writing a book."

"That's wonderful. What's it about?" Gabriella asked, not wanting to let on that she had already asked about him earlier.

"It's about Italian culture, the commonalities throughout the different regions of the country and the unique nuances that make each place special. It's part travel guide, part memoir. I have Italian heritage. I've never explored it before, so now I am immersing myself."

"Wow. I love it. We may have to compare notes as we go along."

"I'd like that."

Gabriella smiled up at him. He wasn't too hard on the eyes. He had rugged, dark looks, green eyes, and an intriguing smile. Most of all though, she enjoyed speaking with a fellow writer.

As the elevator dinged on the third floor, Gabriella stepped off, turning to give Ivan a brief wave.

"Goodnight, Gabriella."

"Goodnight, Ivan," she responded before turning to walk toward her room.

Once inside, she meandered over to her balcony, actually stepping outside this time and enjoying the nighttime view. Then, she went back inside, shut the glass door, and sat down at the desk, setting up her laptop and typing up a few notes about her first night in Italy, largely focusing on the food and atmosphere and not Troy. She also took a few minutes to send off an email to the girls and one to her parents as well, letting them know she'd arrived safely. She shot Nancy a quick email too then. Just as she was finishing that, she heard a knock on the door.

Uncertain, she approached it and looked out the peephole. She saw a man dressed in hotel attire carrying what looked like a room service serving tray. 'Odd,' she thought, opening the door to him.

"For you, signorina," he said, handing her the small tray.

"But I didn't order anything."

"It is a gift, signorina."

"Well, okay, Grazie," she said, offering him a tip and closing the door.

She placed the tray down on the bed and lifted the dish cover curiously. It appeared to be a plate of panna cotta. Eyeing a small card tucked beneath the plate, she reached for it and held it up so she could see it, anger spreading through her as she read it.

"Maybe you should have dessert more often. -T "

* * *

**A/N:** So, anyone keeping score yet? ;-) Lol!


	3. Chapter 3

**Escape to Love Chapter 3**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Mmm...dessert...dessert with Troy Bolton... I 3 that idea. -) Okay, don't mind me. I'm glad you guys are continuing to enjoy the story. Your reviews are just utter inspiration. So, thank you! Okay, bring on chapter 3!

* * *

The next morning, Gabriella was up bright and early and headed downstairs for breakfast, determined to enjoy her first full day in Italy regardless of the irritating presence of her tour guide and to meet some other tour group members. She also hoped to speak more with Ivan. As luck would have it, she found him in the lobby, observing some of the artwork displayed there, as she had done yesterday.

"Good morning," she greeted.

He turned, seeming pleasantly surprised to see her. "Buongiorno, Gabriella."

Gabriella smiled. "Ah, yes. I really need to start studying my Italian-English dictionary some more and using what I learn."

"No worries...it's just all part of my immersion, you see," he said with a grin.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" Gabriella asked.

"No. I was planning to head down that way."

"Perfect. Me too."

"Well, then...after you," Ivan said, motioning with his arm for her to lead the way.

They walked together down to the restaurant, chatting easily. Gabriella was just thinking about how well this day was starting off when she spotted Mr. Abs himself standing just inside the doorway and her expression soured.

Troy said one more thing to the restaurant host he'd been speaking with and then turned to smirk at Gabriella as she approached.

"Did you enjoy your dessert, Gabriella? I wanted to make sure that you _got some_," Troy said, devilishly.

"You needn't worry so...I have dessert plenty when I want it."

"Glad to hear it."

"Besides, I might be a bit pickier about my desserts than you."

"Hmm. Most are delicious in my experience."

"Yes, but they're not always good for you."

"All this talk of dessert is making me hungry. Gabriella, shall we?" Ivan cut in, not quite sure he understood where this dessert conversation was going.

Gabriella snapped out of her verbal sparring with Troy and turned to nod her agreement to Ivan, walking off with him then to the breakfast buffet that had been set up for the group and effectively shutting down anything more Troy might have said in response to her argument.

A little while later, however, they met up once more at the buffet table. "You do realize you're judging me very harshly?"

"Am I?" Gabriella asked, lifting an eyebrow at him as she glanced over at the table Troy had been sharing with the UCLA sorority girls and saw Stephanie talking animatedly and giggling with her friends.

"She could be my soulmate."

"Is she?"

Troy looked back over his shoulder for a moment and then returned his attention to Gabriella. "Not likely."

Gabriella rolled her eyes at him.

"But how else would I find out?" Troy asked, humor in his voice.

Gabriella sighed. "Maybe for you that is how you'd find out," she said in a somber tone, walking back to her table and leaving Troy standing alone and not sure whether to be bothered by that statement. Then again, he'd done the whole serious relationship, searching and supposedly finding his soulmate crap. Given how it hadn't exactly worked out, he was fine with the mere fun he was having now.

* * *

As the group loaded onto the tourbus, Gabriella paused to take a few photos of the hotel. When she turned back a few minutes later, she saw that the last of the passengers was climbing up into the bus. She walked briskly to follow them. Being at the end of the line, she was left with no choice but to occupy a seat at the front of the bus. Ivan had gone on ahead of her and it looked like one of the other female passengers had snagged the seat next to him and was already chatting his ear off.

'Oh, well,' Gabriella thought, 'the front of the bus means I'll see everything first.' And then _he_ stepped on and she realized what else the front of the bus meant.

* * *

As Troy stepped onto the bus, he had a moment of surprise as he saw that Gabriella was sitting there in the front row seat, the seat that would inevitably mean she'd have to sit next to him for the ride. That was not what he had expected at all. He had expected her to be sitting as far back from him as possible. Then again, she was writing her story. Maybe she was eager to see everything well and to hear all of the facts he'd be spewing. In any event, he wondered just how the day would go.

Clearing his throat, he picked up the microphone and made a few announcements to the group about where they were heading first and then slid into the seat next to Gabriella.

"Our conversations stimulate you that much?" he asked in a teasing tone.

"Don't get all cocky. I got stuck sitting here. It was not intentional."

"My, you do know how to make a guy feel good about himself."

"I think you feel plenty good about yourself without my help."

"Gabriella..."

The newer seriousness to his tone made her turn to study him, wondering what he was going to say.

"...you really know nothing about me."

He held her gaze for several moments, weighing whether or not he wished to say more and then, Alberto, the bus driver, said his name and he realized they were fast approaching their first stop. He stood up to retrieve the microphone once more.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be arriving at the Accademia in just a few minutes. When we debark from the bus, we'll need to cross the street and head to the back of the line. There is always a line to get in, so we'll just have to wait a few minutes, but I can assure you the wait is worth it. The Accademia is home to the famous, original Statue of David, sculpted by Michaelangelo between 1502 and 1504, though the statue itself only came to the Accademia in 1873, nearly 100 years after the Accademia was established. It was initially created as one of the personages that were to decorate the facade of the Duomo, which we'll see today as well, but in the end, a commission of experts decided to place it in front of the Public Palace, now the Palazzo Vecchio. David was the most commonly portrayed biblical character during the Renaissance because he symbolizes astuteness winning over brute force. The iconography is revolutionary; David is not portrayed after the fight with Goliath but rather in the moment of greatest tension, immediately before facing his enemy. I'd venture to say not one of you has not heard of this masterpiece." Troy paused and surveyed the faces staring back at him, no one speaking up to contradict the statement. Troy smiled. "Yep. As I suspected. Well, that is no doubt because the statue has been the symbol of the city right from the time of the Medici family. When you think Florence, you think David."

Gabriella took in every word, jotting down a few notes and being impressed by Troy's knowledge. She didn't know why she was impressed. He was their tour guide; he was supposed to know these things. But still, she was impressed…and left wondering what else Troy might have said to her if he hadn't needed to grab the microphone once more...

"Okay, everyone, here we are. If you could all debark carefully from the bus and then follow me..." Having said this, Troy said something to Alberto and then stepped down off the bus. Gabriella stood and exited the bus after him, standing off to the side as all of the other passengers joined them on the sidewalk. Gabriella let herself drift toward the back of the group as they made their way to the back of the Accademia line. Having done so, she found herself waiting in line next to an older gentleman and two women who looked about her age.

"Hi," the woman closest to her said with a friendly tone. "I'm Jennifer Erickson. This is my father, Jonathan and my sister, Johanna...yes, my mother had a thing with Js," she finished with a grin.

Gabriella returned the grin. "I'm Gabriella Montez. It's very nice to meet you all."

As the line slowly moved forward, Gabriella found herself engrossed in easy conversation with the father, who she had learned was a widower, and his two daughters. Jonathan struck her as very kind, interesting, and an attentive father. In some ways, he reminded her of her own father...except that her father lacked the George Clooney-esque air Jonathan seemed to exude. He was definitely a man who was aging well.

Jennifer seemed fun-loving and outgoing. She was a couple years younger than Gabriella and she was engaged to be married in a few months. This trip was a last hurrah of sorts with her family. She was an event planner, but she had promised her family and her fiance that she would relax on this trip and let her colleague continue work on the preparations for her own upcoming wedding.

Johanna was a bit quieter, but no less interesting. She was a year older than Gabriella and she was a massage therapist, who also dabbled in photography, website design, and dog grooming. She joked that it was her goal to try out every possible occupation before settling on one. Jonathan just shook his head but beamed at his daughter nonetheless.

Gabriella liked them all immediately and she was glad to have found some others on this trip that she felt she could enjoy spending time with. She was an only child so she certainly knew how to spend time alone and even enjoy doing so, but still, being so far from home and the comfort of the friends she could see whenever she wanted to, she was pleased to have some companionship options. And, she knew she'd also have Ivan to talk to at times on the trip too.

Before she knew it, they were rounding the corner and approaching the entrance to the Accademia. As she stepped inside, Gabriella took a deep breath and prepared for the beginning of the awe she anticipated she would feel repeatedly on this trip as she experienced so much great art, culture, food, beautiful landscapes... She shared some happy smiles with her new friends and began to look around and examine the various sculptures and other artwork, including Michelangelo's unfinished "Prisoners" and Botticelli's "Madonna and Child" and "Madonna of the Sea." But the main attraction loomed ahead...standing tall and glorious. His marble appeared to nearly glow in the light. Gabriella felt pulled to him. When it was her turn to stand close, she really took the time to soak in the experience. The beauty of this sculpture, with every special detail from the look on his face to the veins in his hand...it was incredible...Gabriella stood amazed.

And then she took a few moments to look around her to see the same awe on the faces around her. Everyone seemed moved. It was a collective experience. Her eyes passed over Jennifer, Johanna, and John...Ivan...even Stephanie and her friends seemed amazed. And then she saw Troy...and even he appeared captured by the hypnotic trance of David. She hadn't expected that. She understood it, now standing here in the presence of this great masterpiece and feeling as though she could never take this for granted, even if she was fortunate enough to ever stand here again. But still, she had pictured Troy standing outside flirting and eyeing his watch impatiently. She had been wrong. As she watched, she saw his blue eyes gradually sweep down the statue and then scan the crowd. She was so caught up in her voyeurism, she didn't immediately realize that he was now watching her as well. The moment she did, their eyes met and she could glimpse something that confused her, something raw...real...hypnotic in its own right.

She was taken out of the moment by the sound of a guard yelling at someone nearby who was attempting to take a photo, something unfortunately now forbidden, per signs that were posted around the gallery. Bringing her attention back to David, Gabriella soaked in the glory of the marble man for another minute before slowly moving away from it, viewing various other artwork on her way out of the building. After those few moments at the statue, Gabriella had not caught sight of Troy again, but she hadn't exactly been trying. She wasn't sure exactly what those moments had meant anyway, just that she had seen him in a different light...a perhaps intriguing one...maybe only because he had shared her awe and appreciation of Michelangelo's brilliance. But she didn't want to think about that further.

Gabriella visited the gift shop briefly and then stood outside waiting as the rest of her group gathered.

"It's great, isn't it? Brilliant...almost any description still unworthy..."

She nearly jumped as she heard his voice and felt his breath pass over her hair. She turned to see Troy standing behind her, dividing his attention between her and the gallery exit, watching for all of the tour's members.

"Yes," she answered simply, genuinely.

Troy gave her a small smile. "If you hurry, you won't have to get stuck sitting with me again," he said quietly, pointing toward where the bus was parked. Gabriella didn't really have a chance to respond because he went into tour guide mode then and turned and began rounding everyone up, requesting they all head back to the bus. Gabriella moved in that direction, though she didn't feel as in a hurry to find a new seat as she would have thought she would. As she neared the bus, Ivan found her and asked her how many words she thought they'd have to try and then discard in their futile attempts to write about their experience of the Statue. She laughed lightly and they conversed further as they made their way onto the bus, sitting together this time toward the middle. She noticed a pretty redhead sitting in the front row seat she had previously occupied, waiting anxiously for "his ab-ness" to sit next to her. She got her wish once everyone else had gotten seated. Gabriella focused her attention on Ivan and sat back to enjoy the short ride to their next stop, the Piazza del Duomo.

* * *

Troy sat, trying to give the appearance of interest as the pretty redhead, Bridget, spoke animatedly about her hometown in Texas, but his mind was definitely elsewhere...back at the Accademia. He was not surprised that even after this, his fifth or sixth viewing of the Statue of David, he still felt the pull of the masterpiece and still felt the need to take in the experience just like everyone else. It had spoken to him when he'd first seen it as a boy and associated it well with the Biblical story and it still spoke to him, but in different ways. It now made him contemplate just how brilliant this man, Michelangelo, was, a man only a few years older than Troy was now when he created his famous sculpture, and just how much this man had accomplished within his lifetime. Troy didn't know where his life was going anymore and he felt at once lost yet still comforted by this man's legacy.

But the Statue aside, what was occupying his thoughts right now was the briefly shared moment he'd had with Gabriella. He didn't know what to make of this woman. He had caught her studying him and it was different than the way he'd grown accustomed to women studying him...her assessment of him was somewhat unnerving but mesmerizing nonetheless. And though the moment was very short-lived, she hadn't immediately looked away. It was as if she had seen something in him that she needed to examine further...he wondered what that something was.

Of course, minutes earlier, he had noticed her awe as she walked around the gallery and particularly as she approached the most famed piece. He was keeping an eye on his entire group, but he had enjoyed seeing her reactions in particular. But she was not the same woman who had sent daggers his way with her eyes the night before and this morning. Lost in her Italian adventure, she seemed more innocent, more open...more beautiful.

He hadn't really known what he wanted to say to her outside of the Accademia...just that he had hoped to catch another moment of that sweetness he had glimpsed in her own moment of awe. He didn't know why. He realized it seemed futile as she seemed fundamentally opposed to him...and he didn't really need her to change her mind about him. After all, she'd only be in his life for four weeks anyway, and she'd probably manage to get under his skin a lot during that time too if the first 16 hours were any indication. Still, there was something about her that just made him want to know and see more...

* * *

At the Piazza del Duomo, Gabriella quickly put on her long wrap skirt over her shorts. On the itinerary, Troy had included the instruction for the women to either wear one or bring one for certain parts of their day. As they were going to explore Il Duomo, Florence's Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, as well as the corresponding baptistery and Giotto's bell tower, it would be necessary.

"Florence's Duomo is one of the most recognizable symbols of Renaissance architecture. It was begun in 1296 and consecrated in 1436. It is one of the largest churches in the world and can hold up to 20,000 people. Its dome was the world's largest until the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City was completed in 1615..."

As Troy continued to speak and led them through the Duomo, Gabriella absently jotted down notes, though she saw that Ivan was doing so much more fervently. John, Jennifer, and Johanna were listening and pointing things out happily to one another. Gabriella soaked it all in, enjoying the beauty of the stained glass windows and the Last Judgement fresco in the famous dome. She got some spectacular photos as they walked around the outside of the dome and looked out over Florence and the Tuscan hills. And then she got some even more spectacular photos once they had ascended the bell tower, though she'd found the climb to be a bit annoying...not because it was 414 steps up a dark and narrow stairway following the 463 steps she had already climbed to the top of the dome, but because she had had to listen to the squeals and complaints of some of Troy's fan club as they'd climbed with him. The fact that one of the complaints had had to do with whether or not the climb would tire them out too much for "later" and that Troy had provided the comforting reassurance that he had plenty of stamina and didn't tire too easily, resulting in quite a few giggles, did nothing to help Gabriella's tolerance.

The Baptistery of John the Baptist followed the Duomo and bell tower and Gabriella stood admiring Ghiberti's majestic east bronze doors, known as the Gates of Paradise, which feature exquisitely carved depictions of Biblical scenes and characters.

"It took 27 years for the Gates of Paradise to be ready for the baptistery," she heard Troy explain.

"It definitely won't take that long for my gates of paradise to be ready for him..."

"He can open mine anytime..."

Gabriella blew out a breath in disgust, hearing these side comments and seeing Troy wink knowingly at the commenters. He glanced her way briefly, having noted her disapproval, and sent her a sly wink, which only served to annoy her further.

As the group finished their viewing of the baptistery, Troy instructed that they'd have a lunch break now. He pointed the group in the direction of the Piazza della Republicca a few blocks away, which had surrounding cafes they could eat at and asked everyone to meet back up by the central carousel in 90 minutes. Everyone began to walk that way and Gabriella found herself behind Troy and Stephanie, who had claimed his attention once again.

"So, are you enjoying everything? What's been your favorite thing so far?" she heard Troy ask.

"Oh, the Statue of David I think...all that raw, nude male awesomeness...though he's got nothin' on you, baby" she finished huskily, glancing downward suggestively.

"Yes, well, don't tell him that...don't want to hurt his feelings, now, do we?" Troy responded with a grin.

Stephanie laughed and then skipped forward a moment later when one of her friends called for her.

"Oh, I doubt David has much to worry about," Gabriella muttered, not sure why she felt the need to chime in, but unable to stop herself.

Troy turned and raised his eyebrows at her with a curious look.

"Well, no offense, but folks aren't coming from all over the world to see you in all your glory, are they?"

"Are you sure? What did you say brought you here again?" he teased.

Gabriella shook her head at him. "Oh, I doubt it's feature-worthy," she baited, inclining her head in the direction of his pants.

"Aren't journalists supposed to uncover the truth?"

"When it's worth uncovering."

"Oh, it is," Troy shot back with a confident smirk.

"I'm sure your truth has been uncovered plenty."

"Maybe..." Troy drawled. "And what about yours?" he asked pointedly, deliberately running his eyes down the length of her body and back up again in time to see the color rise on her face and her eyes narrow at him.

"Again, you needn't worry about me, Mr. Bolton," she gritted out between clenched teeth.

"I'm not. I'm simply worried about Ivan. Are you going to give the poor man any experiences worth writing about? If not, I should probably introduce him to some others who will," Troy replied, sarcasm making his voice have a hard edge to it now.

Gabriella's mouth dropped open and it took her a moment to respond. When she did, the low growl that emitted from her sounded foreign to her own ears. "Euurrgh...you are disgusting!" she hissed, shooting one last disparaging look his way before turning on her heel and stomping off across the piazza they had now reached.

'Well, so much for bonding over David,' Troy thought, turning in the opposite direction and picking up his pace as he headed down a side street. He needed to walk and blow off some steam now. Why did this woman get to him so?


	4. Chapter 4

**Escape to Love Chapter 4**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Sorry all...things have been busy with work, social life, etc. Plus, my son got the flu...much fun. :( Anyway, hope you are all staying healthy as the holiday season begins. Thank you so much again for the great reviews - I love hearing your thoughts. And I know these two go back and forth and Troy, especially, runs the gamut of being charming and likeable one minute to being an ass the next. But, bear with me...they're still on week one and there are three more to go. ;-) Well, here you go...here's chapter 4. On the plus side, it's the longest chapter yet. :-) Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

"Gabriella? Are you okay?"

Gabriella turned to see John looking at her, concern in his kind gray eyes. She took a moment to finish composing herself and then gave him a small smile. She didn't know why she had let Troy's words get to her so. She knew she had baited him in the first place, for some reason. She supposed it had just been her building irritation from witnessing his interactions with his groupies. Still, it had turned around on her and she didn't appreciate that. She didn't have any particular attachment to Ivan or specific plans to have such after only knowing him for a day, but Troy's words had still felt like a hit below the belt. At times, over the past four months, she had wondered if there had been anything wrong with her or if she lacked the ability to hold a man's romantic interest...for that man to only want her. She knew the situation with Michael was more complicated than that, but still, in her most vulnerable moments, she had doubts about herself.

"I'm fine, John. Thank you."

"Are you sure? You looked like something had upset you."

"Just got into a conversation I shouldn't have. It's okay...really."

"Okay...but if you ever do need to talk to someone, I'm here, alright?"

Gabriella's heart warmed at this kind offer. "I appreciate that John. I'll keep that in mind."

John studied her for a moment, accepting that she was okay and then gave her a warm smile. "Have you thought about what you're having for lunch yet?"

Gabriella shook her head. "Not really."

"Well, the girls went off to that fancy looking cafe over there if you'd like to join them. I was personally thinking I might grab something from the quieter looking outdoor cafe over here."

"Hmm. I think the outdoor cafe looks rather nice if you don't mind some company."

John smiled. "Not at all. And what beautiful company you'll make too."

Gabriella considered the compliment for a moment before giving John a smile of gratitude. He had said it with charm but also such a genuine tone and she liked him and felt comfortable with him. As she followed him to the cafe and they sat down at a table, she looked around the piazza. Here and there, she spotted various members of their tour group but there was no sign of Troy. Gabriella brought her attention back to John and they proceeded to have a very pleasant lunch together.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon went well enough. When the tour recommenced, Troy and Gabriella largely ignored each other. The group visited the Basilica di San Lorenzo, one of the largest and oldest churches of Florence, and then Mercato Centrale, a shopping tourist's paradise. Gabriella spent time shopping with Jennifer and Johanna until the bus took them all back to the hotel to relax for a few hours before dinner.

That evening, dinner was at a local restaurant. Gabriella shared a table with the Ericksons and Ivan and they all enjoyed the local fare. She spotted and at times overheard Troy doing his thing and making the women giggle, blush, and generally lose themselves in him. She did not, however, chime in with her own thoughts again.

She had begun to think she would be fine after all just ignoring him when she was awakened at 1am as he and a loudly giggling accomplice stumbled noisily into his room. Unfortunately for Gabriella, she heard not only the loud giggling but also some crashing sounds she didn't want to try to figure out and some muffled exclamations before she shoved her iPod earbuds into her ears and eventually fell asleep.

Waking up the next morning, she felt less than cheerful. Hearing Troy's balcony door slide open, she hastily threw on her robe and stepped out onto her own balcony. She was momentarily confused when she didn't see him standing next to her. Then, hearing rhythmic exhalations, she looked down and saw that he was doing push-ups...wearing only a pair of workout shorts.

"Did you have something to say or did you just plan to enjoy the show?" she heard his deep voice say. It had a guarded sort of edge to it Gabriella didn't know what to make of.

'Damn his distracting torso,' she thought. He was not supposed to catch her off guard. It was supposed to be the other way around. Gabriella pushed on in any event.

"That show is played out," she responded in a sour tone. "I just wanted to ask you if you had any manners hidden anywhere at all. Some of us try to sleep at night, you know."

Troy finished his push-ups and jumped up so that he was standing not two feet from her. Only a small wrought iron gate separated their balconies and he stood tall above it. Gabriella straightened her stance, trying to stand a bit taller herself.

"I know. I'm sad for you," he said with a dry tone.

Gabriella felt her face screw up into what she imagined was a very unpleasant expression.

"Does being an ass come naturally to you or is it something you've had to work at?"

"Does being a bitch come naturally to you?" Troy shot back.

"If being a bitch means not finding you appealing, then yes."

"Well, you must find me _really_ unappealing then."

"I do."

"If I were the last man on earth kinda thing, huh?"

"Yep."

"And why did you rush out here to see me first thing in the morning?"

"I told you. I don't appreciate being kept awake by the fake enthusiasm of your latest airhead."

"Nothing fake about it."

"You keep telling yourself that."

"Are you jealous?"

"No, you idiot, I'm annoyed!"

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that."

"Oh! You are impossible!" Gabriella said, turning her back to him and stomping back into her room.

She turned around once more, about to shut the glass door behind her, and nearly smacked right into Troy, who had apparently jumped the small gate and followed her into her room.

"What are you doing?" she spat at him, furious and wary.

"Is that your M.O.? You just spew fire and run?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Two days ago, you slammed the door in my face and then later left the dinner table early. Yesterday, you stomped off when you didn't like what I had to say...to a conversation you started, no less. This morning...ditto."

"I...you...I have little tolerance for guys like you," Gabriella stammered.

"Guys like me? Guys who try to be nice to you, try to make you feel welcome, and still find themselves being abused by you?"

"Welcome? Welcome to get naked with you...become another notch on your belt? That's the only welcome you seem to be offering...to everyone. And why are you in my room anyway when you've already got someone in yours who took you up on your offer?"

Troy didn't even spare a glance in the direction of his room. His eyes were locked intensely on her face.

"Oh, wait...silly me. Of course you will have kicked her out after you were through with her."

"Why do you care, Gabriella? We're consenting adults."

"I don't care what you do. But I shouldn't have to listen to it."

Troy stared at her for a long moment, studying her, with her hair a bit wild from sleep, her cheeks a bit flushed from their heated conversation, her dark eyes narrowed and daring him to contradict her. He could see her point about the noise, though whatever she thought she'd heard was not exactly what had happened. That said, he didn't know what had come over him anyway. He hadn't planned on having any women come back to his room. That was his sanctuary and he'd told himself that if he was going to have that kind of fun, he was going to have it in their room and then excuse himself to come back to his. Well, except for the other night when he was thinking Gabriella might end up in his room...but that was purely a proximity or convenience thing...yeah, must have been...

He had ended up drinking too much last night, which had led to being coaxed up to his room by Bridget some time around 1am. But his drunken state had led to them falling into the dresser as they'd entered the room, sending a lamp crashing to the floor and effectively sobering them both up a bit. If Gabriella had heard anything she accepted as so-called "fake enthusiasm," Troy could only imagine all she'd heard were the moans of two drunken people who were hopping around in pain from their clumsiness. They had cleaned up the mess and talked for a few minutes and determined that nothing was in fact going to happen that night, so Bridget had left his room not too long after.

Still, telling Gabriella this was...well...why did she need to know? She had already formed her opinion of him and didn't seem inclined to change it, so baiting her further about what she thought she'd heard had come more natural than defending himself. He didn't have any reason to defend himself to her anyway...other than that he'd still disturbed her sleep. That hadn't been his intention... or perhaps it had to some extent... He knew that he hadn't been pleased with the way they had left things yesterday afternoon. He had tried to ignore Gabriella in the same way she had him for the rest of the day and evening, but he was still bothered by the fact that this woman seemed to dislike him so. She was smart and beautiful and quick-witted. What he glimpsed of her interactions with others indicated that she might even be kind and fun too. She struck him as the type of girl his former self would have wanted to date, to get serious with, to take home to his parents...but that was before Katherine...before he'd been disillusioned.

Gabriella was waiting for a response. The initial fight he'd felt in him had dissipated...for now, at least.

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"I didn't plan to have someone back to my room anyway. Last night was a mistake."

Gabriella knew she was not concealing the shock on her face very well. She had not expected Troy's calm response.

"Well...good," she responded, her own ire fading in the moment.

Troy didn't know what else to say just then so he just turned and headed back out to her balcony, jumping easily over the gate and back onto his own. As he re-entered his own room and headed for his shower, he had a moment of satisfaction knowing that, for once, he had gotten to walk away from her.

* * *

A little later, sitting toward the back of the bus, Gabriella overheard Bridget lamenting to her friends that last night had not turned out exactly as she'd hoped...that Troy had seemed to change his mind. Gabriella felt confused by this information. Troy had certainly not indicated this this morning. Why? To save his rep? Just to irritate her? Eh...it was probably a fluke. It didn't change the fact that she had already observed plenty of his efforts to get into the pants of other group members.

"I'm excited to explore Santa Croce this morning," Ivan said, interrupting her thoughts.

"Me too. The whole day should be pretty interesting."

"So much history..."

"So many great works of art..."

Having both spoken at nearly the same time, they found themselves smiling at one another and their shared enthusiasm.

"Is it awful that I might be most looking forward to the great leather and jewelry finds?" Jennifer put in from the seat next to them.

"Completely awful!" Ivan responded in mock outrage.

Gabriella giggled as Jennifer made to lean over to slap Ivan on the arm.

"Now, now, Jenny, let's not get so rowdy Troy kicks us off the bus," John joked.

"Eh, she could take him, dad," Johanna said with a humored grin.

Jennifer nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but he'd enjoy that too much," Gabriella countered.

They all laughed in agreement.

"He'd have his hands full in a different way if he ticked Jenny off," Johanna joked.

"Oh, but come on...you three aren't charmed by the guy?" Ivan asked, one eyebrow raised.

"He's not my type," Johanna answered swiftly.

"He's charming all right...not too hard on the eyes either..." Jennifer answered, a grin on her face.

"Yeah, and he knows it," Gabriella said with derision.

"Well, the fan club makes it kind of hard for him not to," Jennifer observed.

"But is it a chicken before the egg or an egg before the chicken thing?" Johanna asked.

Gabriella wondered briefly...but still, if he wasn't always this way, then why would he be like this now?

"Waxing all philosophical on us, Jo?" John asked, teasingly.

"Eh, it happens from time to time," Johanna responded with a grin.

"Yeah, well...the eggs on this bus should stay far away from that gamecock."

"Gabriella!" Jennifer exclaimed, clapping her hands quickly over her mouth as she realized her exclamation had been louder than she'd meant for it to be.

Gabriella looked around at her friends' widened eyes and half-humored expressions. "What?" she asked defensively, wondering if she'd put a little too much emphasis on that last syllable.

"Nothing, just...tell us how you really feel," Johanna joked, resulting in a sheepish smile from Gabriella.

"Well, it's...just an observation," she said a bit weakly.

"It's just...didn't expect that from you," Johanna answered. "But it's not a bad thing...it was pretty funny, actually," she added, seeing the brief flash of worry cross Gabriella's face.

The guys nodded their heads in agreement.

"Umm, don't look now but I think we've attracted someone's attention, guys..." Jennifer said a bit quietly.

"Someone?" Gabriella asked, warily.

"Ehrm, yes. The, uh, barnyard animal in question," Jennifer answered, still in a hushed tone.

And then Gabriella did the thing you don't do. When told not to look at someone, the very thing you then really want to do is... And so she looked at him. She met his eyes with her own. She saw the curiosity and she met it with defiance, seeing Troy's eyes narrow slightly in response. Oh, this was going to be a long tour!

* * *

Troy had been feeling just fine. Gearing up for the day ahead, he had just risen to chat with Alberto for a moment before announcing their arrival at Santa Croce, when he'd overheard first the melodious laughter of his would-be nemesis...a rather fascinating sound...and then, a few moments later, her name being exclaimed by one of her new friends. He couldn't help but glance back there, only to see that some of her little group were glancing his way guiltily.

Great. They were talking about him. He couldn't imagine Gabriella having anything nice to say. What was her deal anyway? He waited a few moments, watching them exchange words in quieter tones and then she looked his way. She looked like she regretted doing so even before their eyes met. He wondered what exactly they'd been saying about him and why he'd been a topic of their conversation...unless Gabriella just couldn't wait to complain about him. But they had been laughing too...was he the butt of a joke? Or...no, that couldn't be...it would be too much to think her friend had said her name like that because she had said something more scandalous about him...something he would actually like hearing...something involving her actually finding him attractive... Nope. The defiant look on her face shouted otherwise to him. Argh, what to do about this woman? Ignore her? Keep fighting with her? Try to win her over?

* * *

"This monument was designed by Vasari in 1570 and the three ladies symbolize Painting, Architecture and Sculpture..."

Gabriella listened with interest to Troy's description of Michelangelo's tomb. The group stood inside Santa Croce, the principal Franciscan church of Florence, best known for its Florentine artwork and its tombs of illustrious dead, including Michelangelo. The tomb was amazing. Troy went on to share further facts about it, such as the fact that the three symbolic ladies were created by three separate artists and that the bust of the master in the center of the monument was done by Battista Lorenzi. Gabriella thought the tomb was one of the most beautiful ways to honor a life that she had ever seen. With the way Troy spoke about it, she suspected he thought so too. How odd to feel like she and he appreciated some of the same things. It should make her want to speak with him more about them...and if she was honest, it kind of did. But most times they did speak...well, she wasn't left feeling warm and fuzzy.

The group moved on to Galileo's tomb next and Gabriella took it in as Troy pointed out that Galileo was depicted looking up toward the stars and that the sun-centered solar system was clearly depicted on his tomb, a fitting bit of redemption given all the scientist and astronomer went through at the hands of the Catholic Church for his endorsement of that idea.

They moved along seeing monument after monument, as well as frescos and other artwork within the basilica. Gabriella took it all in reverently, but found herself speaking up at Machiavelli's tomb. The monument itself was smaller and less majestic than some of the others they'd seen. But the epitaph inscribed in Latin on the philosopher and writer's tomb was a powerful touch. When Troy asked if anyone had an idea of what it said, she found herself recalling her years of Latin back in high school and answering, much to her own surprise...and his, if she was reading what flashed across his face at that moment correctly.

"Tanto nomini nullum par elogium...it means 'so great a name has no adequate praise' or 'no eulogy would be appropriate to praise such a great name'...approximately."

"No, that's...that's definitely correct. Thank you, Gabriella," Troy responded, seeming to stumble a bit over his words. Recovering, however, they moved on and he continued to lead them throughout Santa Croce, pointing out all its secrets and treasures.

* * *

Following the tour of the famous church, once the group had been given an extended free exploration break, Gabriella found herself being excitedly led by Jennifer on what she was exuberantly calling "the leather tour." On the premises of Santa Croce, they visited the Leather School, a place where students are taught the craft of manufacturing by hand, high quality leather clothes and accessories, which are subsequently sold to the public at much lower prices than at other leather specialty shops in Florence. Next, they visited nearby Lily of Florence to be tempted by all of the fine leather shoes, and finally, they visited Caesar, a large shop in Piazza Di Santa Croce with a variety of leather goods.

As she browsed the items at this last stop, Gabriella paused to consider who else she still wanted to buy leather items for. She had already purchased several great items today, including a beautifully soft leather coat for herself. She hadn't been able to resist. Shuffling through the selection of leather wallets, her pleasant thoughts were interrupted by the voice she hadn't expected to hear for another hour or so.

"He'll like that one," Troy said, pointing to one of the wallets.

"What? Who?"

"The guy you're shopping for. Ivan...a boyfriend at home...whoever it is, that's a good one."

Gabriella looked down at the wallet in question. It was a very nice men's wallet...classic but stylish.

"Not that it's specifically any of your business, but I'm looking for a gift for my dad."

Troy couldn't explain why he was glad she'd said that...not that she'd actually ruled out anything related to Ivan or a boyfriend at home...

"Well, what do you think? Is it his style?"

Glancing at Troy and back at the wallet, Gabriella pondered whether or not to attempt polite conversation. In her normal, day-to-day life, she wasn't terribly attracted to conflict. Troy put her on her guard though. She didn't know what might come out of his mouth, much less her own. Still, if he could act civil, she could too...however briefly.

"I think...yeah, it's very nice. He'll probably like it," she said, picking it up and examining it further.

"Well, there you go. Success," Troy said, with a slight smile. "Looks like you've had quite a bit of success today," he continued, his eyes moving over the various bags in her right hand.

"That I have," she agreed.

"That's good," Troy said, shoving his hands into his pockets and rocking slightly on his feet as he let his eyes run over the variety of goods displayed along the wall in front of them. She was so different than any of the other women. They made it easy for him...too easy for him. She challenged him at every opportunity...and yet he'd seen her here and wanted to talk to her, come positive or negative end result.

"What about you? I know you have this more readily available to you all the time, but are you buying anything today?"

Am I actually continuing this conversation?

Is she actually asking me a question? A nice one? She hasn't really done that since dinner the other night.

"Umm, maybe. My mom's birthday's in a few weeks, but I really don't know what exactly she'd like."

Gabriella nodded, taking this in. "Well...I can't believe I'm saying this, but...since you helped me out, maybe I can help you." The boy was buying something for his mother...maybe there was something salvageable there yet. 'Okay, don't jump the gun, Gabriella...serial killers probably buy gifts for their mothers too,' she reminded herself, frowning at the thought.

Troy observed the frown and restrained himself from sarcastically telling her not to trouble herself. She was probably just surprised they hadn't insulted each other in any way yet...so was he. "Okay," he responded slowly.

"Well, you could get her a wallet too...or a purse."

Troy seemed to consider these options.

"Or, if you want something a little less common, maybe a photo album or scrapbook or a jewelry roll. I also saw some really nice gloves."

It appeared that Troy had had an "aha" moment related to one or more of the suggestions Gabriella had just offered. "Gloves...she'd like gloves. She's always saying her hands get colder than the rest of her body and cooler weather will be on the way soon enough."

Gabriella couldn't help the hint of a smile that made its appearance on her face. She was pleased at how quickly she'd come up with a good idea for Troy's mom and Troy's reasoning had also given her the sense that Troy actually truly cared about at least one woman in this world. "Well, okay. Then, all you need to do is figure out what color she'd like. Come on. They're over this way," she said, heading toward another corner of the store.

A smile...or the makings of one anyway...in his presence? Pigs might actually come flying through the store. But who was he to question it; he should just enjoy the unspoken truce while it lasted. He followed her to the glove display, finding the variety of color options a bit overwhelming.

"What color would you choose?" he asked Gabriella curiously.

Gabriella eyed the array of gloves like a shelf-full of gourmet chocolates. "I'd choose...those," she stated, pointing toward a pair of dark purple gloves, "but they're my favorite color. What's your mom's favorite color?"

"Color."

"Huh?"

"My mom just likes color. The rooms of her home are painted various different colors. She'd probably like a pair of each of these," Troy said wryly.

"No one color seems to be her favorite?"

Troy seemed to weigh the question, not coming up with just one color. Gabriella eyed the piles in front of her, looked back at Troy, and then retrieved a pair from the table.

"How about these?" They were a beautiful shade of blue, not terribly different than the blue of Troy's eyes. Gabriella figured that if she and every other woman breathing around this guy found his eyes to be that beautiful, then a mother would have to love them even that much more. So, how could she not love a pair of gloves of the same shade.

"They're great. I guess she'd like them. She does wear a fair amount of blue."

"Well, there you go. They're very elegant and the cashmere inside will help keep her hands warm. I'm sure she'll love them."

"Yeah. I think she will. Thank you." The two common words felt almost foreign.

"Um, you're welcome," Gabriella said, feeling confused by this rare...neutral, if not yet pleasant, interaction they'd had. "Well, I should pay for my items and find my friends again for lunch."

Troy couldn't stop himself. "Mmm, yeah, I'm sure they're missing your wonderful brand of humor."

Gabriella's brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed slightly. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Great job there, Bolton. "Nothing...just that it seemed like you were all having some good laughs on the bus."

"We were...I think I rather like the back of the bus," she said pointedly.

"People tend to. I miss out on all the fun being up front. I think I may have to come to the back and hang out there sometime."

Gabriella eyed him suspiciously.

"Gabriella, you ready to meet the others for lunch?" she heard Jennifer call from the front of the store.

"I'll see you later, Gabriella. Thanks again for the help," Troy said, lips curved into a flirtatious smile.

She nodded and turned away, heading toward her friend and choosing to ignore that flirtatious smile. He just couldn't help himself, could he?

* * *

After lunch, the group reconvened from their three hour break and visited the Piazza della Signoria, the political hub of the city, with its imposing town hall, the Palazzo Vecchio, and its impressive Neptune fountain and array of statues, including a copy of the Statue of David. Then, they headed to the famed Uffizi Gallery, where Gabriella and her friends stood amazed over and over again at the masterpieces surrounding them in every room. She had been excited about the museum and she was certainly not disappointed. She knew that all the beauty and creativity she had seen that day would stay with her and she was feeling very grateful to Sharpay, Taylor, and Kelsi. She'd have to remember to email and let them know that.

Having exited the Uffizi, they had made their way over to the nearby Ponte Vecchio, the "Old Bridge" crossing the Arno River at its narrowest point. They had been exploring the shops along the bridge, visiting with jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers. Gabriella felt as though she'd done enough shopping for the day, so she wondered out of the shops and toward the open air arches in the middle of the bridge. Here, she leaned over the stone wall and looked out at the water and at the surrounding buildings of Florence. She noticed a presence arrive next to her but tourists were coming and going, getting their photos taken with the river in the background; she didn't think anything of it. A minute or so later, as she was looking around, she realized it was Troy next to her, leaning on his side against the wall and watching her.

"Seriously, are you like a ninja or something?"

Troy chuckled. "The ninja tour of Italy...I like it."

"Mmm...I think I like it too...you'd be silent," she tossed back at him saucily.

"Ouch."

Gabriella ignored his mock wounded act, looking out at the water again for a few moments before turning back to him. "So, wow...twice in one day, you lost your groupies?"

"Eh...they saw something more shiny," Troy joked, inclining his head toward some of the nearby gold merchants.

Gabriella couldn't help it. That one made her laugh a little, which seemed to make Troy's smile curve higher.

"Where's Ivan? Off buying you something shiny?"

"If I want something shiny, I'll buy it for myself, thank you. And what's your obsession with Ivan anyway? Would you like him to buy you something shiny? Is your revolving door of women just an elaborate act?"

Troy gave her a measuring look. "Sorry to spoil any fantasies for you, sweetheart, but I like to be the only outie in the room, if you know what I mean," he answered with a dry tone.

"Sure...you always win if you run unopposed."

"I'd win anyway," he said cockily. "I would have thought you'd share the 'three's a crowd' philosophy. Hmm...it's always the quiet ones...or are you not all that quiet?" he shot back devilishly.

"Wouldn't you love to know...guess you'll just have to guess since you won't be finding out."

Troy stared at her, the look in his eyes indicating a touch of disbelief. Despite the jabs and wounds to his ego, he found he really was enjoying going toe to toe with this woman. He was a bit surprised by his continued interest, as she'd given him absolutely no outright hope of any carnal fun and that had been all he'd been interested in accomplishing with the women he encountered for some time now. But she was different. What that meant for the next 3 1/2 weeks, he had no idea.

Why was he staring at her so? Maybe she shouldn't have challenged him to guess. Maybe he was trying to imagine the possibilities. She fought the burn in her cheeks, as she considered this.

"Gabriella, you have to see these great necklaces," Jennifer enthused, as she approached the area in which they were standing. Both Gabriella and Troy were shaken out of their thoughts and turned to look at her.

"Oh, hey Troy! Using Gabriella's personal shopper skills again? She's really good at it, isn't she?"

So, she'd told her friend about helping him find the gift for his mom earlier. Nice. He wondered if this conversation would be similarly shared.

"Hi Jennifer. Not this time, but yes, she does seem to have a talent for it...probably one of many talents..."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him, but then turned to talk to her friend, who wanted to take her back to the shop she'd just left to get her opinion of some of the necklaces and other jewelry items there.

Troy told them to have fun and turned to walk back toward the Uffizi, where the group would be meeting back up within the hour. He spotted Stephanie, Bridget and some of the other girls in shops along the way. He could have stopped to flirt with any of them, but he found he didn't really feel like it at the moment. Instead, he simply walked and enjoyed the beautiful day and wondered whether his next encounter with Gabriella would involve angry, civil, or enticing conversation. Today had run the spectrum so far.

Gabriella followed Jennifer to the shop, sneaking glances at Troy's back as he walked back toward the Uffizi. He was making it harder for her to just write him off. He was definitely irritating and cocky, but he'd also shown a sense of humor, sometimes at his own expense. And, he was also interesting and smart and was thoughtful enough to buy his mother a birthday present weeks in advance. She'd started the day wanting to rip him a new one. Then, she'd been educated and inspired by him. Then, she'd felt a need to help him. Then, she'd felt amused. And, finally, she'd felt...well, she didn't know how she'd felt. Irritated? Embarrassed? Stimulated? Conversations with him certainly weren't dull, but their unpredictability made Gabriella wary.

* * *

That evening, dinner was at the hotel once more and Gabriella enjoyed the company of her friends, as well as a few of the couples on the tour. After dinner, the Ericksons left to take a walk around the grounds together before retiring to their rooms. Ivan and Gabriella had plans to work on their respective writing projects in their rooms. Just as they had entered the elevator, Gabriella realized she had postcards written up in her room but didn't know where to mail them. She decided to ask Roberto about this, so she stepped back out of the elevator, said goodnight to Ivan and headed over to the reception desk. After learning from Roberto that she could just bring her postcards to the reception desk and they would take care of mailing them for her, she headed back toward the elevators. As she did so, she found herself crossing paths with Troy once again. He was surrounded by women, not surprisingly, and they all seemed to be laughing and having a good time.

Spotting her, he slowed his walk and inclined his head somewhat smugly. "Signorina Montez..." he said, the formal address rolling off his tongue enticingly, "...you should join us. The hotel's bar is a great place to relax."

Gabriella eyed the group in front of her. Several looks told her they weren't really interested in adding more competition to the group. That alone kind of made Gabriella want to accept the invitation to spite them. But she really didn't have an interest in drinking right now or watching Troy try to determine just which woman he should leave the bar with tonight. "I'll pass, thanks."

A small smile formed on Troy's face. He encouraged the women to go on ahead without him and assured them he'd join them in just a moment. "Having a nice night so far, Gabriella?" he asked smoothly, his attention returned fully to her.

"Yes. It's been very nice," she answered, wondering where this was going.

"Good...sure you don't want to make it nicer?"

She stared back at him, his eyebrows slightly raised, his lips curved a bit further upward...a seductive look. She could see how it worked for him. But she wouldn't be seduced or tricked or whatever he was up to. She shook her head at him.

"Good night, Troy," she said pointedly. "Now, run along and enjoy your playthings." With that, Gabriella turned and strode the rest of the way to the elevators, stepping into one and pressing the button for her floor. As she waited for the doors to close, she caught a glimpse of Troy looking bemused and doing an "aye, aye captain" kind of salute in her direction before turning and heading in the direction of the bar.


	5. Chapter 5

**Escape to Love Chapter 5**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **You guys are so incredibly sweet! Thanksgiving is almost here and I am thankful that I get to share this fun story with all of you. :-) If you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you have a wonderful holiday and even if you don't celebrate it, I hope you have many wonderful things in your life to be thankful for. Now, on to the story...

* * *

The next morning was uneventful compared to the one before it. Gabriella hadn't heard anything the night before other than Troy returning to his room around midnight or so, either alone or just making a point to be quieter. Gabriella appreciated either gesture, though the former somehow seemed more appealing.

As in the previous two days, she met Ivan and her other new friends for breakfast downstairs. Then, the tour bus departed the hotel and the tour members visited the Bargello Museum and the Church of Santa Maria Novella, which both held a lot to appreciate visually and historically. Troy and Gabriella had silently acknowledged each other throughout the touring, but had not spoken yet. And Troy had not yet come to "hang out" toward the back of the bus, to Gabriella's relief. The group had grabbed lunch at Piazza Santo Spirito and was now exploring the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens.

"Ready to head outside?" Ivan asked.

Gabriella nodded with a smile. She had heard that the gardens were beautiful and she was looking forward to exploring them. They first entered the Ammannati Courtyard, where many ceremonies of the Medici court were once held. Next, they walked out into the expansive Amphitheater and took time to walk around and examine the 24 classically-themed statues topping the seating area. Ivan sat down for a moment and looked around with delight.

"Can you imagine sitting here back then and watching games of that day or other performances, attending wedding festivities here and the like?"

"It would have been some experience," Gabriella agreed, sitting down next to him and looking around some more as well.

Ivan turned to smile at her. Noticing, Gabriella returned the smile and then turned back toward the center of the amphitheater. "The obelisk looks a little out of place, doesn't it?" she observed.

Ivan surveyed it as well. "Maybe not so much out of place as just dwarfed by everything around it."

"That's what it is."

"It was originally from Egypt, you know. Ramses II originally had it erected in Heliopolis and it was eventually brought to Villa Medici in Rome and then here."

"You've really done your research, huh?"

"Eh...pieces here and there so far. Mainly, I thought I might impress you," Ivan answered with a hopeful grin.

Gabriella's eyes widened slightly at this. Was he just being a playful friend and colleague or was he trying to flirt? "Um, well, I'm impressed."

Ivan's grin widened further. "Well, good. Why don't we go toward the Neptune Fountain and I'll try to keep impressing you?"

* * *

Troy stood at the bottom of the hill leading up to the Forcone Basin. He had just finished directing Mr. and Mrs. Richardson toward the Kaffeehaus and, seeing them on their way, he turned to see where others in his group were. His eyes scanned over the Amphitheater and stopped abruptly when he caught sight of Gabriella and Ivan. He had noticed them walking around within the various Pitti Palace galleries together, pointing out different items to one another and discussing them, but something seemed different about the way they were interacting at this moment.

As he watched, he saw Ivan stand up and hold his hand out for Gabriella. She looked up at him with an uncertain smile and tentatively placed her small hand in his, allowing him to help her to stand up and to help her descend from the amphitheater seating area. Watching this made Troy have a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach for some reason he didn't want to examine further. It did ease a bit a minute later though when he saw Gabriella very gently slide her hand from Ivan's grasp once they were back on the ground again. Seeing that they were now heading in the direction of the hill, Troy turned swiftly and began to ascend it toward the Basin and its fountain.

* * *

As they reached the Forcone Basin and saw the majestic Neptune fountain rise from its waters, Gabriella looked around in amazement. Not only was the fountain a detailed joy to see...Neptune poised with his trident aimed at a fish with sea deities hidden in the hollows...but the panoramic views of Florence that could be seen up here were unbelievable. She retrieved her camera and started snapping away, trying to capture the beauty around her.

"Do you want me to take your picture here?" Ivan asked thoughtfully.

"Sure," Gabriella accepted, handing over her camera, standing in a good spot, and smiling.

Ivan snapped a few photos of her and then eyed her thoughtfully. "Do you mind if I get a photo with both of us in it with my camera?"

Again, Gabriella considered Ivan's motives but saw no reason to refuse. "Sure. And don't worry about which camera. You can just use mine if you like and I can email you whatever photos you need."

"Oh, that's great. Thank you."

"So, how do you want to do this?" Gabriella asked with a friendly tone.

"Hmm," Ivan said, looking around. "Oh, look! There's Troy. Maybe he can take the photo for us."

Gabriella's eyes darted in the direction Ivan indicated. As she watched Ivan approach Troy and saw both men walking back in her direction, she tried to quickly cover up the look of alarm that had taken over her face for a minute with what she hoped was a more neutral expression. In light of their conversations the past two days, she really hoped Troy wouldn't say anything inappropriate or embarrassing about she and Ivan.

* * *

She was eyeing him with such wariness, though she was trying to hide it, and Troy wasn't sure whether to feel pleased or displeased with that. Yes, he knew he could mess with whatever it was that she and Ivan had going on right now, that he could make her blush or fume or get some kind of reaction from her...but something about the way he was presently feeling about taking this photo of she and Ivan together made him suspect he would be on better behavior with her this time.

"Hey," he said, as they stopped in front of her.

"Um, hey," she returned. 'My, but we are being eloquent today,' she thought.

"Troy's agreed to take the photo," Ivan confirmed.

"Oh...great..."

"So, shall we stand over here with Florence's rooftops as our backdrop?"

"Uh...yeah," Gabriella agreed half-heartedly, moving to stand beside Ivan where he had suggested.

"Oh, ha! You need the camera, don't you," Ivan said, quickly walking it over to Troy and then resuming his place next to Gabriella.

Troy forced a smile. "Okay..." he began, holding up the camera and framing the shot, "say...Boboli..."

"Boboli!" Ivan and Gabriella said, finishing with smiles on their faces as Troy snapped the photo.

"Oh, one more if you don't mind," Ivan requested, quickly placing his arm around Gabriella, an action which she held her smile through as Troy more quietly took a second photo. He contemplated shaking his hand a bit to cause blurriness or changing a setting or two to make the photo dark or focused on the background more than them, but figured that, with it being a digital camera, they'd just ask him to take more photos...something he wasn't feeling too keen on doing.

"Thanks, man!" Ivan said, accepting the camera back and handing it back to Gabriella.

Troy nodded, glancing at Gabriella. "Oh, uh, yes...thanks," she added.

"So, are you two enjoying the gardens?" he asked politely.

"Most definitely," Ivan answered.

"They're beautiful," Gabriella said softly.

"Actually, Gabriella and I were just discussing as we walked up here why the gardens might have been named the Boboli Gardens as opposed to say the Pitti gardens or Palace gardens. Maybe you can enlighten us, Troy."

Troy felt pleased to be able to converse with them versus just leaving them after taking the photos, so he answered promptly. "Well, that's good thinking because when the Medici purchased the Pitti Palace in 1550, the Boboli Gardens were called, 'The Pitti Garden.' The name 'Boboli' comes from the Boboli hill, the one you had to walk up to get here actually."

Gabriella and Ivan both nodded with realization and continued listening.

"The hill itself most likely got its name from a corruption of the name 'Borgoli' or 'Borgolini,' a family which owned homes and land in the area at that time."

"Ah! Well, there's our answer," Ivan exclaimed with a grin.

Gabriella just gave both men a small smile.

"Glad to be of assistance," Troy said. "Have you seen the Abundance statue yet?"

"No, not yet," Gabriella answered this time.

Troy liked this and turned his attention on her as he spoke again. "The statue has an interesting background I could share with you if you'd like."

"Oh, that would be great," Ivan said enthusiastically, but Troy only took note of the way Gabriella was looking at him curiously.

"Okay, man...it's just further up the hill here," Troy explained, leading them to it. At the white marble statue, he told the story:

"Abundance was started by Giambologna in 1608 and concluded by Pietro Tacca and Sebastiano Salvini a little less than 30 years later. It was originally intended to be a representation of Joanna of Austria, wife of the Medici Grand-duke Francesco I, and it was supposed to be placed on a column in Piazza San Marco. It was transferred to the Gardens in 1636 to commemorate the prosperity of Tuscany."

Again, he watched Gabriella and Ivan take in this information.

"Here are the more interesting points. Joanna was very short, so the story goes...maybe only a little shorter than you, Gabriella...and the courtiers referred to her as 'Her Shortness.' Maybe we could call you that," he teased, earning a chuckle of agreement from Ivan. There they were...though not as fierce as he was becoming accustomed to...those imaginary daggers her eyes were shooting his way. Poor Ivan even got a glimpse of them thanks to that chuckle.

Troy smirked, continuing on. "Anyway, Francesco didn't love Joanna and instead favored a mistress, Bianca Cappello, a Venetian girl of noble descent who married a Florentine at 16."

Troy noticed that Gabriella seemed to tense a bit at this point in the story, a frown on her face.

"In 1578, when she was just 31, Joanna fell from the stairs in the Grand Ducal Palace in Florence, resulting in her untimely demise. Eventually, Francesco and Bianca were married. Naturally, the mysterious circumstances around Joanna's fall caused rumors accusing her husband and his mistress of murdering Joanna so that they could be married."

Gabriella's frown intensified and Troy gave her a curious look.

"Did a similar fate befall Bianca? And what of Bianca's first husband?" Ivan asked with interest.

"Well, interestingly enough...and if it makes you feel any better, Gabriella, nine years later, Francesco and Bianca died on the same day and poisoning by his brother and successor, Ferdinand, was the suspected cause. Oh, and Bianca's first husband was assassinated to make way for the grand duke."

"So, karma's kind of a bitch, huh?" Ivan said with a grin.

"I guess so," Troy agreed, wondering in the back of his mind what karma might have in store for Katherine.

* * *

Gabriella looked up at the statue...abundance...a confident looking woman, holding up her wheat and other harvested goods...apparently, she had an abundance of some things like physical goods, but lacked abundance of other things that mattered in her life...love, fidelity, respect. Gabriella felt a sadness nag at her.

Turning back to the men, she saw that they were still discussing the statue and the surrounding area, but Troy seemed to be shooting her side glances. She wasn't sure exactly what his deal was and what he was up to, if anything. She just certainly hadn't expected him to be hanging out with she and Ivan today. Of course, she hadn't expected some of Ivan's actions today either. She didn't know how she felt about either situation, but figured there wasn't much time to ponder them now. She'd save that for later tonight.

"Yeah, the Knight's Garden is up a bit further," she heard Troy instruct once she had tuned back in to their conversation.

"How 'bout it, Gabriella?" Ivan asked.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Shall we do the Knight's Garden and Porcelain Museum next and then head toward the Viottolone?"

"Oh, sure. That sounds good."

"Troy! Troy!" she heard from behind her. Turning, she saw that, refreshingly enough, it was the Blakes who were trying to gain Troy's attention and not his fan club.

"Oh, Troy, could you help us find the Lemon House?" they asked, reaching him.

Troy smiled at them politely and looked back at Ivan and Gabriella.

"Hey, thanks for all the info and help, man," Ivan said, "sounds like you're in demand, so we should let you go."

If Gabriella wasn't mistaken, Troy looked a bit disappointed.

"Anytime," he said, with a brief nod and glance her way before turning to walk away with the Blakes.

"Shall we?" Ivan asked, extending his arm in the direction of the Knight's Garden. Gabriella smiled and began to walk with him in that direction. She wasn't sure whether she felt more or less comfortable with Troy gone.

* * *

After some time spent in the Knight's Garden, the Porcelain Museum, the Viottolone, and the Cerchiata, a long path with a kind of continuous awning formed by pruned holm oaks...a somewhat romantic setting where she sensed Ivan may have wanted to kiss her but restrained himself...they made it to the Island Basin, with its stunning Fountain of the Ocean rising up from the central isolotto, a small island filled with citrus plants and roses. This was one of the areas Gabriella had definitely wanted to see. It was even more beautiful than she had heard.

As they walked around the basin, they also saw the Perseus and Andromeda sculptures rising from the water, so regal and mythical. Then, Gabriella came face to face with two other statues that intrigued her. Ivan wanted to go get a closer view of the southern gates with their capricorn topped columns, so Gabriella told him she'd wait right there for him. As he left, she moved closer toward the statue on the right...a not entirely unfamiliar depiction. But it was the statue on the left that really drew her in. She moved to stand in front of it, thinking back on the past year of her life.

"Refreshing to see something more true to life, isn't it?"

"Maybe...I'm not sure if it's reassuring or depressing to see that it was every bit the case hundreds of years ago."

"I guess that depends on whether you view them in a step one and step two kind of way or as more of a cycle...still possibly depressing."

Gabriella turned her head to study Troy. Hearing his voice as she stood staring at the statue hadn't surprised her today for some reason. Maybe she'd sensed him in some way. What she didn't understand was how he seemed to understand her thought process as she took in the two statues. Why wouldn't he just assume that she was eyeing them for sculpting detail or just in a pedestrian sort of way?

"You don't hide things as well as you think you do, Gabriella. Plus...I get these statues too."

'Damn. Guess he answered that question.'

Troy showed a hint of a smile. 'Huh...it's rather fun surprising her.'

"Because you're the Cupid on the left, breaking hearts with a hammer?"

Troy's eyes narrowed slightly. "Nice one," he offered, in regard to her sly innuendo, to which she shrugged. "But, no."

"Okay. Then, is it that you've been hit by the Cupid on the right, shooting his arrow straight and true...perhaps at least once a day?" she said sardonically.

Troy couldn't resist the devilish response that came to mind. "Yes...and see, the thing is...today's your lucky day." As he said this, he inclined his head and leaned in, bringing his face closer to hers. The problem with doing this, he realized, was that he actually wanted to kiss her.

"It's not yours," she said in a hard, warning tone. 'Bet it'd be good though,' she thought, surprising herself and quickly mentally chastising herself for such a stupid thought.

Her warning seemed to do the trick. Troy met her eyes, grinned, and smoothly straightened up once more.

"Maybe you're the Cupid with the hammer," Troy said thoughtfully.

Gabriella gave him a disbelieving look and then looked back at one statue and then the other. "I'm neither. I don't think I'm a fan of Cupid, one way or the other."

Troy watched Gabriella's face for a few moments, trying to guess further what experiences in her life had led her here. He suspected that a work piece wasn't the whole of it. Then, his own attention was drawn back to the two opposing Cupid statues. "He has too many hapless victims," he agreed.

Gabriella didn't want to look back at Troy. She didn't want to be drawn in. But she couldn't help but wonder at Troy's seriousness and his agreement with her. Could they have something else in common, besides their appreciation of Italian art...hearts that had been ruthlessly smashed, like the one on the statue? He didn't exactly act like it most of the time...though, to be fair, she didn't exactly try to advertise it either.

"Oh, hey Troy. Sharing any other interesting stories?" Ivan asked, striding toward them.

'Wonder if he would have,' Gabriella thought but then shook off that thought just as quickly.

"Not really, man," Troy answered. "Just appreciating the statues."

"Ah," Ivan answered, looking between the two and wondering if it was just his imagination or if something more had been going on. "Well, I got some great photos over there with the late afternoon sun."

"Oh...wow, it's almost time to head back to the bus," Gabriella realized, looking down at her watch.

"All good things must come to an end," Ivan agreed, seeing both Troy and Gabriella give the Cupid statues and each other one more glance.

Troy cleared his throat. "Well, I should head back out toward the bus and make sure Alberto's ready to head out too. You guys still have a little bit more time in case you wanna snap a few photos of the Lemon House and the Meridiana Palace on your way out. I'll see you back on the bus."

* * *

Back on the bus, Gabriella listened to Ivan recount the parts of the day he had found most interesting and John, Johanna, and Jennifer sat near them as well and shared their favorite things too. Gabriella's attention drifted to Troy, who was naturally surrounded by women. Though he engaged them in conversation and answered their questions, he didn't seem as attentive as she'd previously seen him. Their eyes locked for a moment and she hastily looked back at her friends. 'Curiosity killed the cat, Gabriella. No good will come of knowing more. Will it?'

* * *

As Troy sat there on the bus, he again found himself unable to give his full attention to the women sitting around him who were vying for it. Today had left him with questions he hadn't expected. Why did he care if Ivan and Gabriella became more than friends? Why did he care if Gabriella liked him or not and why did she really dislike him so? What was her damage and who had broken her heart? Should he do anything with these questions or leave well enough alone? As his eyes locked with hers, he wondered which she would really prefer...

* * *

"Hey, everyone. Before we head back to the hotel to get ready for dinner, Alberto and I have one more quick stop for you. Since it's your last night in Florence, we want to make sure you've seen one of the best views of this beautiful city. So, get your cameras ready and your best smiles too. We'll be there in a couple minutes."

Gabriella did as Troy had suggested and made sure her camera was handy. Soon after, the bus climbed and then came to a stop at the top of a steep hill. Debarking from the bus, the group made their way through the parking lot past numerous vendor stands until they understood why they were there. Florence opened up for them, her beauty all around...it was breathtaking. Troy explained that they were at Piazzale Michelangelo, one of the best places to see all of Florence and the surrounding Arno Valley.

Gabriella silently agreed with all the oohs and ahs around her. This place was pretty spectacular. She noticed the bronze copy of the statue of David in the center of the piazza, as well as some other Michelangelo replicas. There were also artists sitting around, creating and selling their renditions of the panoramic view of their beloved city.

"What do you think?" Troy asked, sidling up beside her.

"It's like a whole handful of postcards wrapped up into one very realistic one," Gabriella answered, continuing to take it all in. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Bridget was currently chatting with Ivan. She also saw Jennifer, Johanna, and John walking around snapping photos.

Troy smiled at her response and then held his hand out in front of her.

Gabriella looked down at his hand, more than a bit confused and slightly nervous for a moment.

"Give me your camera," Troy said, by way of clarification. "I'll take your picture with the view behind you."

Gabriella blinked. Ah, so that's what he'd meant. Given Ivan's earlier attempt, she had begun to wonder if she had a sign on her forehead that read 'try to hold my hand.' Though, the feeling in her gut had been a bit different earlier than the one just now...maybe because she and Ivan liked each other and she and Troy...well, it just would've been odd. Realizing she'd paused a bit longer than she should have, she handed Troy her camera.

He studied her curiously for a moment. 'Huh? Did she think I was pulling an Ivan? Does she want me to? Nah, she'd more likely slap my hand than hold it.' Troy took the camera from her and led her to a good spot, snapping a few photos. As Gabriella smiled for them, Troy couldn't help noticing that she really did have a nice smile; he just hadn't gotten a chance to see it too often so far.

"There you go," he said, handing her back the camera.

"Thanks," she said, accepting it.

"No problem. Just promise you'll credit my name if one of those ends up in your magazine."

"Seems only fair," Gabriella agreed with a small smile.

"Scusi, Signorina Montez," Alberto said, approaching them. "Troy, Il fotografo è pronto."

"Grazie, Alberto."

Troy turned to explain to Gabriella, as Alberto walked away. "There's a photographer who takes group photos up here and he's available to take a photo of our group."

"Oh, fun."

Troy smiled. "Of course, my photos will still be the best."

"We'll see," Gabriella said, not giving him the compliment or flirtatious agreement he sought.

This only seemed to amuse Troy, as he nodded slightly, a twinkle in his eye, and held his arm out, indicating the direction they needed to walk to get to the photographer. "Can you help me round folks up?" he asked nicely.

"Sure."

So, they both located tour group members until everyone was standing in front of the photographer, posed for a group shot with the view of Florence behind them. As they were the last two to arrive at the photo spot after rounding everyone up, Troy and Gabriella just slid into a spot at the side of the group, as the sun was beginning to set and the photographer wanted to get his dramatic shots while he had the right light.

After the photos were taken, the group got to see the shots and choose if they wanted any printed out for them. Gabriella embraced her inner tourist and got an 8x10 and a 5x7, both in souvenir folders. She did find it ironic that she and Troy were next to each other in the photos. One way or another, he would be linked to her memories of this trip. Musing over this, she almost missed seeing Troy purchase a couple photos too. 'Is he sentimental too?' she wondered skeptically and then decided it was more likely that his family's tour company saved these group shots from each tour for promotional purposes. Toting the bag with her photos in it, she met back up with her friends and they boarded the bus and chatted about this beautiful last stop on their way back to the hotel.

* * *

Back in her room not long after, Gabriella looked out her balcony door, seeing the last vestiges of light in the sky. Darkness was settling in over the hills and would soon be upon them. She reached for the door handle and then paused, hearing Troy's balcony door open next to her. She took a breath and proceeded to open her door, stepping out and seeing the momentary look of surprise on Troy's face.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey."

"Just wanted to come out here for a breath of fresh air," Troy said by way of explanation.

Gabriella nodded slightly, looking out at the canopy of sky getting swallowed up by night in front of her. "It's nice out...starting to cool off."

"Yeah, Tuscan days are beautiful, if hot some times of the year. But Tuscan nights are generally pretty enjoyable, though they can be pretty hot sometimes too."

Gabriella shot him a look.

Troy was confused for a moment and then clarified. "That was not an attempt at a pick up line...merely a weather observation."

Gabriella pursed her lips and turned to look out over the rooftops and hills once more. "Do you call Tuscany home?" she asked, conversationally.

Troy paused a few moments before answering. "Sometimes."

As she had sensed during that first dinner with him, it seemed there were some things Troy didn't wish to elaborate on.

"Have you enjoyed your time in Florence?" Troy asked, deftly changing the topic.

"Definitely. I'm sure I'll enjoy seeing the rest of Italy too, but I must admit that I am a bit sad to be leaving Florence in the morning."

Troy heard the wistful tone of her voice and an idea came to him. He introduced it carefully, as he didn't know how she would perceive it.

"There are many great places that we'll visit on the tour, but there is definitely something about Florence that draws you in."

Gabriella nodded in agreement.

"You liked Piazzale Michelangelo, right?"

"Of course. Could anyone not love that view?"

Troy smiled at this. "Well, the thing is, the best way to see Florence, the most memorable way, is actually at sunrise, not sunset...not that sunset is exactly a bad time up there either."

"What are you saying?"

"Just that if you did want to see Florence at dawn and bid her farewell in that special way we could do that."

"Troy..."

"I don't have any lewd agenda, if that's what concerns you. There will likely be others up there waiting for dawn too. I just thought it might be something you'd enjoy and maybe even something you'd want to write about. And you could invite your friends too if you like...whatever."

Gabriella breathed in the night air, considering Troy's suggestion. It did sound potentially amazing. And, despite his not so innocent extracurricular activities, for some reason, she still felt she could trust him not to hurt her or take advantage of her. In fact, oddly enough, she felt like he would be good at keeping her safe. She also did have the option of having more people with them if she wanted. And, there was the part of her that was curious to learn more about him, why he acted as he did, if he had experienced heartbreak, and what else he thought or knew of this wonderful country that she could learn from him. Still, the idea required a bit more consideration.

"If we did this, what would the plan be? When would we leave?"

"Well, we'd probably want to get some sleep after dinner and then leave here probably about 4am. We'd go, see the sunrise, and then come back to the hotel to grab breakfast, gather up our stuff and be on our way."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"I'll think about it. I'll let you know after dinner."

Troy nodded. "Sounds good."

With that, Gabriella turned to re-enter her room.

"Gabriella..."

She turned her head back toward him, wondering what else he had to say.

"Don't forget to have dessert."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and entered her room.

"I actually mean dessert," Troy called after her.

Gabriella smiled to herself before turning to pull the door shut.


	6. Chapter 6

**Escape to Love Chapter 6**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Well, here you go...all T & G, all the time...haha! ;-) Enjoy!

* * *

"I'm surprised you didn't bring Ivan."

"Do you miss him that much?" Gabriella shot back sarcastically.

Troy narrowed his eyes at her, continuing to lead the way to the car.

"We're not taking the bus?" Gabriella asked, as they arrived at the car, a red Fiat Grande Punto, and Troy opened the passenger door for her.

"Sorry to disappoint you but you won't get to sit rows and rows away from me," Troy said, shutting the door once Gabriella sat down and brought her feet inside.

"Not sure you can handle driving the bus?" Gabriella baited, as Troy slid into the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Oh, I can handle driving anything. I just prefer the ease of a car since it's just the two of us."

"Well, you do seem to like things to be easy..."

Pulling out of the parking lot, Troy shook his head, staring ahead at the road. Was he going to regret this little outing? He'd genuinely thought it would be something she could enjoy and he'd been pleasantly surprised that she'd not only agreed to it but that she hadn't brought any of her friends with her. But he'd hoped that maybe they could be able to set their jabs at one another aside so this could be a peaceful experience. He'd also hoped he might learn a bit more about her, but he doubted he would if she had her hackles raised the whole time.

"And yet I'm here with you. Are you sure you can deign to put up with me for the next few hours?"

"No, I'm not sure at all, but since we're doing this, I guess I will manage."

Troy gritted his teeth in frustration, pulling the car off to the side of the road a minute later.

"What are you doing?" Gabriella snapped, alert and wary.

Troy gripped the steering wheel, staring straight ahead for a moment before turning to face her. "What is your issue?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that it's been all of 15 minutes since we met up outside our rooms and you've been unpleasant ever since. Why? How can I have pissed you off already? Or is it just the early morning wake-up that has you all grouchy?"

Gabriella blinked, looking a bit surprised for a moment. She opened her mouth to speak but then shut it and turned to look out the front windshield for a few silent moments.

Looking back at him, her facial expression seemed to have softened a bit. "You're right," she said solemnly, "I'm not being fair. Look, just...you know this isn't like a date or a chance to hook up or anything, right?"

Troy's face relaxed some and he looked momentarily amused. "Whatever unredeeming qualities you think I have, I'm not stupid."

Gabriella studied him for a moment. "Okay. I'm just...this sunrise sounds amazing and I just...wanted us to be clear."

"We're clear, Gabriella. So, do you think maybe we could call a truce for the next couple hours and just enjoy this?"

Gabriella nodded, a determined look on her face that Troy thought was just a little bit adorable. Ugh, how could this woman be infuriating and adorable all in the space of five minutes?

"Okay, then," Troy said, returning his attention to the steering wheel and mirrors and pulling back out onto the road.

They rode in silence for a few minutes until Gabriella spoke again, in a much more neutral tone than she had employed before.

"So, is this your car?"

"No. I borrowed it from the night manager, Benito."

"Ah. It's a nice little car...smooth ride."

"You mean you wouldn't prefer the bus?" Troy said in a teasing tone.

"No. You were right. This does make more sense."

Troy shot her a look of disbelief.

"What?" she asked defensively.

"I've apparently been right twice in the last five minutes. Are you feeling okay?"

"Shut up, Troy."

Troy laughed, returning his attention to the road and making a turn.

"This is a Fiat Grande Punto, right?" Gabriella asked a moment later.

Troy nodded.

"What kind of car do you drive?"

Troy glanced her way briefly, an eyebrow raised. "Are you into cars?"

"No, not really, but my dad is. He wants me to give him the full report on all the cars here."

He noticed Gabriella's smile as she mentioned her dad for the second time in two days. It seemed like she had a good relationship with him. 'Okay, she may not have any daddy issues,' Troy thought, wondering what other issues she might have with men or relationships.

Troy smiled in response. "That's a fair amount of cars. I drive a 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 750 Spider."

"Really? A classic over something new and shiny?"

"There's a lot to be said about classics. She's a great car...and she may not be new, but we try to keep her shiny."

"We?"

"Oh, my dad and I have fixed her up over the years."

"Sounds like a fun project. What does she look like?"

"Dark blue exterior, red leather interior...sounds bold, but it works...shorter wheelbase with narrow steel wheels...chrome accents...smaller rear lights...sorry, you asked."

"No, no...it sounds nice. I may need to get you to tell me all of that again some other time though...for my dad's sake."

Troy smiled. "Sure, no problem."

Another moment of silence passed.

"Well, you don't seem to be driving crazy."

Troy chuckled. "Would you like me to?"

"No," Gabriella answered quickly, resulting in a smirk from Troy.

"It's true that Italians drive...with purpose, we'll say, but it's not as bad as some travelers seem to think."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You're from Chicago, right?"

Gabriella eyed him curiously. "Yes."

"Don't look at me like I'm a stalker. Basic tour member info," Troy said, by way of explanation. "Anyway, driving in Italian cities isn't all that different from driving in, say, Chicago."

"Well, when you put it that way..."

"Exactly. But in some ways, drivers may seem more aggressive here. The focus just seems to be different though. Drivers here pay attention to what's going on in front of them, but may not choose to use their mirrors or their turn signals. But it's understood that the person behind them should be paying attention to what they're doing and should adjust their driving accordingly, so, in theory, they should never have to worry about what's happening behind them."

"Interesting," Gabriella responded with a humored smile.

"Italians also don't necessarily see the need for as much space between vehicles. If they see a space just big enough for their car and they want to change lanes, they'll do so. Americans complain a lot about being cut off, but it's just a different perspective. The Italian sees it as ceasing the opportunity and sees nothing wrong with it."

"But you still use your mirrors and such." As she said this, she noticed that they were now ascending the hill to Piazzale Michelangelo.

"Yeah, well, I drove for nine years in America...old habits."

"Where?"

"Huh?"

"Where in America? Where are you from?"

"Santa Barbara, California."

"Oh, that's a beautiful area."

"Yeah...it is. Have you been?"

"Once. My friends and I drove the PCH a few years ago."

"Great road trip."

"Yeah, it was. My friend Sharpay spent much of the trip complaining that we weren't in L.A. yet but Tay, Kelsi, and I enjoyed all of the other stops too."

"Why did Sharpay...that's an interesting name, by the way...want to get to L.A. so badly?"

"Well, Sharpay is the self-proclaimed next Meryl Streep," Gabriella answered with a grin.

"Ah, seeking fame and fortune," Troy said a bit more dryly than Gabriella thought was natural.

"Yeah...and hoping to run into celebrities."

"Did she?"

"A few...no one she probably would've liked to the most but still enough for her to be excited. She also made sure we drove around the Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, and the like so she could show us where she'll live one day," Gabriella answered, a small laugh at the memory.

"And will you still be friends when that happens?"

Gabriella looked at Troy, confused by the question. "Well...I'd certainly hope so." She watched his jaw flex as he responded quietly.

"Ambition can just...change people. Just keep that in mind." Saying this, Troy pulled into a space in the parking lot they had reached a few moments ago.

Gabriella continued to look at him curiously. "Will do."

Troy stared out the windshield for a moment, purportedly eyeing the other parked cars, but seeming like his thoughts were currently miles away. Then, as quickly as the solemn moment had come, it left and Troy shut down the engine and exited the car, coming around and opening Gabriella's door for her.

"Thanks," she said, stepping out of the car and finding herself pleased by the gentlemanly behavior in spite of herself. "And thanks for getting us here safely."

Troy chuckled softly. "Um, sure. It doesn't hurt that it's still technically the middle of the night and there's not much traffic, but Northern Italy's a bit more controlled than Southern Italy anyway. Pay attention once we get to Naples...it's kind of nuts there."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow at him and gave a half nod, taking mental note of this. Looking around, she could see that there were just a few other cars there and a handful of folks were trying to grab themselves a spot to sit down and await the sun, but overall it was a much quieter atmosphere than when she'd been there ten hours earlier.

Troy grabbed the duffle bag he'd brought with him from the hotel and led her to a spot by the steps above the garden area. From here, they would be able to see the sunrise highlight the Duomo, Santa Croce, and the Ponte Vecchio, as well as all of Florence. Troy unzipped his bag and pulled out a blanket, laying it on the ground and motioning for her to sit down. She did so and he swiftly joined her.

"So, your dad...you seem close with him."

"I am," Gabriella confirmed. "I'm close with both my parents."

"That's good. What do they think of you being over here? Have you been in touch with them?"

"Yeah, I've emailed and I called once. They're excited for me. They think it's a great opportunity."

"Have they ever been here?"

"My mom has. She backpacked through Europe with some friends when she was in college."

"Cool."

Gabriella nodded her agreement and pulled her light sweater a little tighter around her. Troy noticed. She watched as he reached back into his bag and produced a tall, stainless steel thermos and two plastic teacups that she recognized from the restaurant's buffet. Opening the thermos, he poured the hot, dark liquid into a cup and handed it to her.

She slowly took a sip. "Caffe espresso?"

Troy finished pouring himself a cup and screwed the lid back onto the thermos. "Yeah...you can just call it caffe though...like if you're ordering one somewhere. If you say that, then you're getting espresso so it's just kind of redundant."

"Mm, good to know. Thanks."

Troy shrugged. "No problem. Just stuff I've picked up along the way."

"So, how long have you lived here?"

"Almost two years."

"And you grew up visiting your grandma here?"

"Yeah, both my grandparents until grandpa passed away five years ago. We'd come every few years to see them and they'd try to come see us some years too."

"Did they ever live in the U.S.?"

"Yeah, till I was 10. Grandpa's family was from San Diego. Then, they moved back here when my great grandpa got sick."

"How did your grandma and grandpa meet?"

"Grandpa was stationed here in the 50s. He saw her out at the market one day and asked her out and...well, I guess things went well."

"I guess," Gabriella said with a soft smile.

"Anyway, he proposed and they were married and they actually lived here for a couple years until they moved to the U.S."

"Wow, a love that spanned continents..."

"Yeah...guess Cupid was good to them."

"It would seem so," Gabriella said softly, eyeing Troy thoughtfully.

Troy's eyes scanned the sky, now with more of a blue hue than a black one, the half moon still showing above them, but more faded than it had been earlier. He tried not to notice the way that Gabriella was studying him, but he was having very little success. What was it she was trying to see in him? What was she hoping to figure out?

After a moment, Troy changed the subject, curious about a thing or two himself. "So, why didn't you bring Ivan or your other friends?" he asked her sincerely.

Gabriella's eyes widened slightly. She thought about the answer to that question. In part, she didn't want them to know that she was hanging out with Troy, having conveyed her disdain for him in front of them prior to this morning. She also hadn't really wanted to deal with Ivan being here with her and viewing this as a romantic setting. She didn't know what she thought about him. She knew she appreciated him as a friend and colleague and that he was attractive to her physically and intellectually, but beyond that, she didn't know and she didn't want to be rushed into anything uncomfortable. And she had also figured that if she invited the Ericksons, they'd likely make sure Ivan knew too, so that had left her coming up here with Troy on her own. And, of course, there was also the curiosity. She was interested to see if she might learn more about Troy and what his deal was. Finally, there was just something else she couldn't quite put her finger on...something that had left her thinking that it could possibly just be nice to only share this sunrise with him...which seemed ludicrous, but made her want to know if the hunch was right.

"I...wanted to just enjoy this in some peace."

Troy nodded, chuckling softly. "Kind of funny that we both thought we could do that, given how unpeaceful our prior conversations have been."

Gabriella grinned. "True, but I figured that if we couldn't speak civilly, then we could sit at different sides of the piazza and ignore each other."

"Nice."

"A reasonable expectation."

"I guess."

Seeing that Gabriella had finished her caffe, Troy retrieved the thermos and poured them both some more.

"Grazie."

"Prego."

"So, what about you? You could have come here and enjoyed more than simple conversation if you had invited one of your harem instead of me."

"My harem? Wow, I think you flatter me a bit much."

"That's how it looks."

Troy squinted his eyes, leaning forward over a bent knee and tilting his head to look back up at her, trying to decide what to say in response. When she had made her earlier reference to him liking the girls who were easy, he had felt irritated, mainly because he wasn't so sure anymore. At first, that had worked out well for his changed life philosophy, but at this point, it wasn't all that fulfilling anymore. He had wanted things to be easy all around, no real attachments, just fun...but at the same time, it was more and more clear to him that none of the women he'd had his fleeting fun with knew him at all. They were attracted to the persona he showed them and to his physical features, but not to him. It was beginning to bother him, though he didn't really want it to...because he still knew the alternative could end up being so much worse.

"Conversation's nice sometimes...and I figured Florence's quiet, early morning beauty could provide a writer with some good inspiration...and I chose you because I didn't really feel like sitting up here with Ivan and trying to fend off his advances either."

Troy smirked as Gabriella laughed, a slight blush on her cheeks as he had touched on her own recent unspoken discomfort.

"Well, your, er, non-virtue is safe with me," she joked back.

"Glad to hear it."

The blue around them was fading to a light gray.

"You brought your camera, right?" Troy asked.

Gabriella nodded, reaching into the small purse she'd brought with her and retrieving it.

"The sun will be coming into view soon," Troy explained. "It'll actually rise back here over the hills of Fiesole," he said, pointing behind them, "but the dramatic light will be on the city in front of us."

Gabriella held her camera in her lap and waited, taking a moment to rub her arms to produce a little more warmth once more.

"Still chilly?"

"A little. I'll be okay."

"I won't," Troy said lightly, letting a shiver pass over him before reaching into his duffel bag and producing another blanket.

"Here," he said, placing one end of the blanket around her shoulders and scooting a few inches closer and pulling the other half over his own.

Gabriella contemplated refusing this as it seemed potentially too cozy a situation, but the blanket felt good and if Troy really was chilly too, how could she refuse him his own blanket?

"Thanks," she said, noting that the gray of the sky was now giving way to a soft gold and pink light. She turned her camera on and took a couple shots looking in front and behind her.

Troy watched and pointed out where the sun's rays were starting to peek out behind the hills. As the sun continued its rise, Gabriella snapped a few more pictures and then asked Troy if he wouldn't mind taking a few. "Yours earlier did turn out really well," she confirmed.

Troy smiled and accepted the camera from her, rising from his spot and moving so that he was lying on the ground in front of her. She raised an eyebrow at him curiously and watched as he pushed buttons and turned dials on her camera before placing it in front of his face and moving it from the sun to her, turning a dial once more and repeating the motion. "Okay...smile."

She followed his instruction and smiled as he snapped a few photos. "Guess you know a bit more about how to use all of those camera features than I do," she said when he had stopped.

Troy just gave her a small smile. "Hang tight. I'll get a few more as the sun rises further and then get some with the light on the city."

"Okay." They waited and Troy snapped photos in different directions as the clouds in the sky turned from violet to orange to white.

After Gabriella had turned around so that Troy could photograph her with the orange-hued tile rooftops and golden lit Duomo and river behind her, she turned back around and he came and settled himself next to her again. She held up his side of the blanket and he pulled it back around his shoulders gratefully.

"I can take a few more of the view if you like as it gets even lighter out."

"Sure, that'd be great. Thanks."

Troy nodded, looking around and taking in their peaceful surroundings. Gabriella did the same, feeling very glad she'd accepted Troy's offer to come and see Florence at dawn. It was a truly breathtaking sight. The way the different colors of the morning lit up the hills and the buildings and the water below...and the way the whole city seemed so peaceful and quiet at this time of day...it was definitely memorable. It brought a calm over her. She could tell by looking at Troy from the corner of her eye that it did the same for him.

Troy continued to snap a photo here and there, and he would adjust camera settings as needed along the way. Gabriella knew it was a good camera and that it had a lot of options, but she'd never found the time to read the manual and learn more about them, choosing to just pick the automatic setting and let the camera decide what settings it needed to be at for any given photo. Watching Troy, she had observed that he seemed very comfortable with the camera and almost, perhaps, happy behind it.

"What do you do, Troy?"

"Hmm?"

"For a living, I mean...when you're not getting persuaded to help lead tours."

Troy turned to face her, seeming to contemplate his willingness to answer her question for a moment. "I teach photography."

Gabriella smiled, her suspicions confirmed. "Where?"

"Different places...the Studio Marangoni and University of the Arts here in Florence, the Style Design College in Milan, and at various workshops."

"Wow. You must really be good."

Troy shrugged, looking out over the city once more.

"Is that what brought you here, aside from staying close to family?"

"The Style Design College was looking for an American instructor," Troy answered, thinking back to when the opportunity had presented itself and how it had seemed like fate. He hadn't known then that the decision would affect his future so differently than he had envisioned.

"Sounds like quite the opportunity."

"Well, I do get to enjoy sunrises like this," Troy said, choosing to turn off the memories that threatened to flood his mind and to just focus on the moment...a moment in which a change of subject would definitely help.

Gabriella acknowledged the statement with a nod, noting that Troy seemed to be a bit uncomfortable discussing his photography career any further at this point.

"So, aside from this," Troy said, extending his arm to indicate the piazzale and view around them, "what have you enjoyed most about Florence?"

"Oh, wow...um, everything," Gabriella said enthusiastically.

Troy laughed. "Okay."

Gabriella thought for another moment. "Of course this will be a great memory of Florence and of course I'll always remember seeing the Statue of David, the Uffizi, and everything else, but I think it's just the whole experience of Florence that I'll take with me. It's so much beauty, art, culture, creativity, excellent food, great people...I don't know...and it's my first experience of Italy, so it's special in that way too."

"I think...I think you've summed it up well. What was your favorite piece at the Uffizi?"

"Hmm...I really did enjoy seeing the Birth of Venus...but don't wax all poetic about it again."

"You didn't like that?" Troy asked, humor in his tone.

"Did the other 20 women you said it to?"

Troy pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. "Alright, alright, I get your point."

"What's your favorite piece at the Uffizi? And don't just tell me whatever you think sounds most impressive."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I've accepted that I can't impress you," Troy said wryly. After a moment of thought, he answered her question. "I always find myself wanting to see Fabriano's Adoration of the Magi again. I don't know what it is. It's almost too much with all of the gold and the bright colors, but it's so majestic. Biblically speaking, this event would have been very simple and lacking in fanfare, but it's almost like this is the heavenly depiction of the event...the child who would mean so much to the world welcomed to it in the way he should be."

Gabriella was silent for several beats, taking in what Troy had said. He was wrong. He could impress her.

"I felt drawn to that one too. Correggio's Adoration of the Child was another favorite. There's something so serene and hopeful about a moment like that between a mother and her child."

"Makes you not sure who to envy more, the mother or the child. They've both been blessed. That is another great painting," Troy agreed.

Gabriella looked up at him, a small smile on her face. Troy thought back on just how much he'd been enjoying seeing the curve of her lips in that direction over the past couple hours.

Gabriella felt like she was examining Troy, but she couldn't help it. He was...interesting...and able to surprise her.

Looking around, they both noticed that the sun had ascended higher in the sky and was now casting a more even and simplistic light across the sky.

"We should probably get going," Troy said, reluctantly.

Gabriella nodded in understanding, looking at her watch and seeing that it was now nearly 6:15 a.m. The group would be having breakfast between 8 and 9 and then they'd be leaving this beautiful city.

She relinquished her half of the blanket so Troy could put it back in the bag. Then, she helped him pack up the empty cups and the other blanket before retrieving her camera and purse and heading back toward the car with him.

"Wait," she said, once they'd put their stuff in the car.

Troy looked at her questioningly. "One last look and one more photo," she said, walking back in the direction they'd just come from and leaving Troy to follow her.

Gabriella stood, looking around one last time, breathing in the fresh morning air and creating a mental freeze frame of this moment. Troy approached quietly from behind, allowing her her moment.

She turned seconds later and motioned for him to come forward. "Stand over there please," she said, pointing to a spot in front of them.

"Why? You aren't going to push me, are you?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Don't let this go to your head or anything but since you are part of this experience, there should be at least one picture of you here too, for a proper memory of the morning. A photographer should get to be on that side of the camera from time to time."

Troy did as Gabriella requested and stood smiling for a photo with the rooftops of Florence behind him. "If you really want to be accurate about this memory, come here," he beckoned.

Gabriella walked the few steps forward uncertainly. Troy held out his hand and she obliged, placing her camera in it.

"Now, stand next to me."

Gabriella did so.

"A little closer or we won't both fit in the frame."

Gabriella paused and then moved a little closer to Troy, so that she was standing with her shoulder and a small portion of her back touching his chest. She could feel his body heat radiating from him and warming her. As he held the camera out in front of them as far as he could to take the self-portrait style photo, Gabriella found herself holding her breath. "Okay, smile and pretend you're with someone you like."

Gabriella smiled, finding that she wasn't doing any pretending...at least not in this very moment. In this moment, she liked the man standing next to her, the one she'd spent the last couple hours with, the one who opened her car door and made sure she stayed warm, the one who was obviously a talented photographer who didn't seem to feel the need to boast about his talent, the one who hadn't tried to do anything but have pleasant conversation with her.

Having taken a few photos, Troy turned the camera around so they could view them on the display. He smiled, pleased with the shots and, looking down, he noticed that Gabriella had a small smile on her face too. He appreciated the feel of her pressed slightly to him, but what guy wouldn't? He realized, however, that with his hands holding the camera, he was kind of trapping her there. Figuring she might not be appreciating that, he dropped his one arm to his side, stepping back.

Gabriella stepped away, feeling his warmth leave her. The photos had turned out nicely and she supposed they were true to her memory of this morning. She accepted her camera back as Troy handed it to her and they both took one more look around before heading back to the car.

They began driving down the hill in silence, lost in their own thoughts. Then, Gabriella spoke.

"So, tell me about some other great spots in Florence, even if I won't get to experience them."

Troy glanced at her and then back at the road thinking. "Well...there are many more amazing churches. Each one has its own history and charm. The Vasari Corridor between the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace is interesting. The Bardini Gallery houses a good number of masterpieces." Troy paused, thinking further.

Gabriella watched as the corners of Troy's lips began to curve upward.

"Actually, I can think of one place that makes some masterpieces of a different kind..."

Gabriella sent him a curious look and took notice when he turned down a road she didn't recall from their earlier drive. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, you'll see."

"I'll see?"

"Yeah. I think we have time for one more stop."

Gabriella stared back at him skeptically.

"You'll like it," Troy promised.

A few minutes later, Troy parked and led Gabriella down the street to a stone building with two sets of glass doors. "Welcome to Pasticceria Stefania," Troy said, holding one of the doors open for her.

Gabriella entered, taking note of the long glass display case full of eye-catching, beautifully decorated pastries. Behind the case, stood a friendly looking male barista wearing black pants and a pressed white shirt with a black bowtie. He offered her a friendly "bongiorno," which she returned happily.

Troy greeted the barista and they spoke in Italian for a minute. Then, the barista turned toward his equipment and supplies and began to prepare drinks for them. Soon after, he pushed two ivory porcelain cups in their direction. Gabriella was prepared to see foam on top of their cappuccinos. She wasn't prepared to see the beautiful violet flower designed into the foam of hers. Seeing this, she looked into Troy's cup and saw a very clearly depicted dog's face, complete with eyes, ears, snout, jowls, and even whisker spots. She looked from the barista to Troy in awe and appreciation. "That's just beautiful...amazing," she said to Troy. "Bello," she said to the barista, indicating her cup. "Grazie!"

Troy grinned, glad she liked their artful drinks. "They make a lot of different designs. I enjoy coming in when I'm in town and seeing what new latte or cappuccino art they have in store for me."

"I love it," she said, eyeing her drink. "It may be too nice to drink though."

Troy laughed. "Oh, but it tastes as good as it looks."

"Hmm...okay, but I have to get a picture of these. Don't drink yours yet please."

Troy complied and waited to pick up and sip from his cup until she had gotten her photos. Troy said something else to the barista and seconds later, he was pushing a small plate of pastries toward them. Troy paid and thanked him and led Gabriella to a small table.

Finishing a sip of her cappuccino, Gabriella examined the pastries in front of her. "These look delicious. What are they called?" she asked.

"This one's called a pasticiotto. It's a mini stuffed cream cheese pie," he said, handing her one of two of these small pastries on the plate.

She accepted it, taking a bite and feeling the sweet cream cheese land on her tongue. "Oh my goodness, that's...so...good."

Troy's eyes sparkled as he observed her simple enjoyment of the pastry. "Glad you like it. It's one of my favorites...but so is this, he said, pointing to another pastry on the plate. It's a bomboloni, a hot Tuscan fried dough with filling."

"Kind of an Italian donut?"

"Yeah...but better. This one's filled with custard, this one with chocolate, and this one with apricot jam."

"Yum. Do you mind if I take the custard one?"

"Not if you don't mind if I take the one with jam. We can split the chocolate."

"Sounds good."

They proceeded to enjoy their hot drinks and pastries for several minutes, while discussing all of the shop's other great offerings. Gabriella could see why Troy liked it there. The food and drinks were delicious and the drink art was just fun. The atmosphere and the staff were pleasant too."

"Thanks for fitting in one more stop," she said as they headed back to the car.

"Sure."

They drove the rest of the way back to the hotel in a comfortable silence, Gabriella just watching the city awaken as they passed through it and Troy doing the same. Once back at the hotel, Troy parked the car by a back employee entrance and led her to a stairwell. They climbed three flights and Troy peered out the glass window on the door, seeing only an empty hallway. The door was located across from Troy's room and therefore diagonal to Gabriella's.

"I presume you didn't want anyone to see you arriving back here with me," he said.

Gabriella gave him a grateful smile. "Well, it will probably help keep my eyes from being scratched out," she joked, seeing Troy roll his eyes, humored.

"And it will protect your reputation," Troy added with a smirk.

"And it will keep others from being upset that they didn't get to experience Florence at sunrise."

"True."

"So, this morning will stay just between us, then?" Gabriella asked, hopefully.

Troy stared back at her for a moment, pondering the fact that they now shared a secret...and a good one at that. He wondered if anything else had changed between them or if they would revert back to clever hostility.

As Gabriella waited for Troy's response, similar thoughts were running through her mind. But she knew that she wanted this experience to be their own to consider, not anyone else's. Therefore, it was important that she get back to her room, gather the rest of her stuff, go have breakfast with her friends and start the day as she had the last few...and then just see...

"Yeah, just between us," Troy agreed, still holding her gaze for a few beats before peeking out the glass window again and then opening the door and allowing her to exit first.

She did so, swiftly crossing the hall and opening her door. She turned back to see Troy doing the same.

"Thank you," she said softly, seeing Troy smile in response and knowing he understood that she was thanking him not just for his agreement but for the whole morning.

He watched her disappear behind her door and then slipped into his own room, hoping the rest of the day would prove to be as good as the beginning of it had been.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Squee! I just love these two! :-) Consequently, if you would like to see some of the cappuccino/latte art, check out youtube and just search by "pasticceria stefania" and you'll see. These types of things please me...haha! Anyway, what do you think? Are we heading in a good direction? Thanks for reading, all!


	7. Chapter 7

**Escape to Love Chapter 7**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Ah, arrivederci, Firenze! We're moving on from Florence to other areas of Tuscany. Thanks for continuing to read and share your thoughts in reviews! Hope you enjoy the T & G interactions in this chapter. :-)

* * *

"San Michele in Foro, dedicated to Archangel Michael, is one of the most photographed views in Lucca," Troy explained to the group. "The upper section gives the impression of a propped-up film set," he said, pointing to the section. "The windows look through onto thin air, as money ran out before that part of the church could be raised to the level of the facade."

Gabriella stood in the midst of Lucca's historic center and listened as he went on to talk about how every single column of the church was different; some elaborately carved, some twisted and spiralling, others like striped sweets. He also pointed out the figure of the archangel - the wings hinged, such that they could be retracted if the wind were to pick up. According to a legend, an angel would have a huge diamond on one finger. Troy shared that if you were to catch sight of a glimmer up above, it was likely the jewel in a ring on the hand of the statue.

The church was beautiful, very unique. So was the Guinigi Tower, which the group visited next. It was a palace and a tree-topped tower, a very different sight. But, Gabriella looked forward to the break that lie ahead. Troy had pointed out the ancient ramparts that ringed the old city. Apparently, the inhabitants built these brick walls in the 16th century for defense, but they luckily never needed to use them for that reason. Today, there were shaded paths atop the walls, which Troy recommended biking on to truly take in the city. She, Ivan, and the Ericksons planned to do just that.

* * *

Not long after, she found herself riding with her friends along the high up paths. They had all rented bikes for an hour and were enjoying their time atop the ancient city walls, taking in the views all around them, ranging from ancient groves of olive trees to the historic city structures to more modern structures outside the walls.

"Race you back to where we entered, dad," Jennifer called playfully after they'd been riding for a while. Gabriella watched her take off, her father right behind her.

"Bet I could beat you there," Johanna challenged Ivan a moment later and both looked at Gabriella to see if she minded.

"My money's on Jo," she said good humoredly. "But I'll wait to see if I'm right. Okay, you two...ready, set, go!"

Grinning, Ivan and Johanna took off. Gabriella continued riding at a more leisurely pace.

"Scare your friends away, Montez?" Troy teased, riding up beside her.

"No, just didn't feel like racing with them. What about you? Did they not have training wheels for your friends?" Gabriella responded with a smirk.

"Very funny. You know they aren't that much younger than us, right?"

"They're legal."

"They're a bit more than legal."

"A bit."

Troy shook his head, making sure to allow enough room as they both rounded a curve on the path.

"You never did tell me why it is you care so much."

"Yes I did."

"Not really. You said you didn't want to have to hear anything and that you didn't have much tolerance for guys like me. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you seemed to tolerate me fairly well this morning."

Gabriella glanced his way then back at the path in front of them.

"Look...I admit that I obviously don't know everything about you and you're not always entirely intolerable..."

"Gee, thanks," Troy said dryly.

Gabriella paused and they rode in silence for a few moments, taking in the path before them, the trees above them, the city below them, and the beauty of the surrounding countryside.

"It was nice this morning," Gabriella said softly.

"It was," Troy agreed just as softly.

"You were a gentleman and I appreciate that."

"I'm not as bad as you think I am."

"Maybe," Gabriella allowed. "But you're still leading these girls..."

"Women," Troy interrupted.

"Fine, women on."

"I'm not leading anyone on."

"You don't care about them."

"Does it always have to be about caring?"

Gabriella thought about this. "Maybe not...but do they know it's not?"

"Yes. I'm up front with them."

"And they're okay with that?"

"Yes."

"But they'd still want to scratch my eyes out if they thought I was a competitor too," Gabriella responded with half a grin.

"You women...so violent," Troy teased.

"Seriously though, Troy. The way you are around them...it doesn't seem entirely honest."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...this morning, you seemed more...real. Other times, you seem like you're putting on a show...and the character you're playing, well, might be initially appealing but...isn't so much the longer you watch."

Troy took in what she was saying. He both liked and disliked how she could read him...see more than others and not be afraid to say things like that to him.

"And yet you only watched for a few minutes before you determined I was completely unappealing."

Gabriella looked over and saw what she didn't really expect to see behind Troy's eyes...a hint of insecurity. The type of guy she originally had him pegged for probably wouldn't give a lick what she thought. But Troy seemed to...much as what she said wouldn't have to mean anything to him. She was only passing through his life after all...

"To me. I can see the appeal to others...but I've been around the block a time or two."

"What does that mean?"

"It means...I hope you don't hurt anyone...and I hope you don't hurt yourself either."

Troy focused on the feel of the bike beneath him...solid, sturdy...but able to crash in an instant if he made a poor choice or handled it incorrectly. Is that what she was saying his life was like?

"I'll...take that under advisement," he said slowly, adding "if you keep in mind that I'm not..."

"What?" Gabriella said, glancing over at him again, curious.

"Not what, who...whoever hurt you," Troy finished, looking her directly in the eyes as he said it.

Gabriella's eyes shot forward again, then off to the side, the side opposite of Troy. He had obviously struck a nerve.

Gabriella fought the image that filled her head, Michael, the one who had caused her most recent and worst pain. She had gotten caught up in trying to "fix" Troy and had briefly forgotten that she was still in need of fixing herself. She recalled Troy saying yesterday that she didn't hide things as well as she thought she did...obviously not...from him anyway. Composing herself, she faced forward once more. "Fair enough," she said quietly.

They rode in silence for a few minutes after that. "So, what do you think of Lucca?" Troy asked, bringing the conversation to more neutral territory.

"I think it's kind of fascinating, the way the walls have been able to stay intact and the way the rest of the city has grown up outside the walls, but the heart of the city, with all its rich history, still lies protected and preserved within. Time stands still within but moves on with the rest of the world out there. It feels kind of like a privilege to get to be up here seeing both sides."

"So you like it, then?"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him half-heartedly, seeing the sparkle in his eyes as he offered her a playful grin. She felt her own lips curve slightly in response. "Yes...jerk."

Troy chuckled and the mood was lightened some. "Glad to hear it."

Gabriella saw her friends up ahead and realized that she was near the point where they had entered the wall. Troy followed her gaze.

"Well, I guess I should go join them again," she said. "We were going to grab lunch at Piazza Anfiteatro before we leave the city."

"Sounds like a good plan. Enjoy."

"Thanks...see you later," Gabriella said, seeing Troy nod before she focused on the path once more and picked up her pace, heading in the direction of her friends. She wondered at the fact that she felt conflicted about riding away from Troy. She guessed it was because she felt curious about where else their conversation might lead, but at the same time, that was also the very reason she felt relieved to ride away from him. She didn't want to think about the things he made her think about. She could use the time away over lunch to regroup.

Troy watched her ride away, stopping and pulling his bike off to the side of the path. He sat down there, beneath a big, looming tree. She had given him some things to think about...about himself, but also about her. She had essentially confirmed what he had suspected. She'd been hurt and she saw something in him that reminded her of that. He didn't want her to only see him in that way...but he had his own reasons for his actions. They had served him well, until now. Now, it seemed like things were changing...but did he want them to? Looking down over the red roofs of the old city, he realized he wouldn't mind seeing inside the walls she had up...he rather wanted to, in fact...but did it mean he'd have to let his own down some too? Then again, maybe he already had.

* * *

Gabriella roamed Mercanto Dei Fiori, the local flowers market Pescia, Italy was well-known for. In Lucca, she had enjoyed a quick but delicious lunch with her friends before meeting back up at the bus. After about a 15 minute ride, they had arrived in Pescia, where they'd visited the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and were now roaming the flower market before heading out again.

Gabriella had wandered off on her own and was looking through the stands in front of her, enjoying the heady sights, colors, and fragrances of the various flowers, and returning the greetings of the friendly Italian floriculturists. As she was turning to move further down the row, she felt something lightly hit her arm before falling to the ground. Looking down, she saw a small bunch of tiny lavender blue five-petaled flowers mixed in with their attached greens...she bent down and picked the bunch up. Rising, she found herself face to face with Troy.

"You know, a 'hi' or a 'hey, Gabriella' when you're actually still several feet away might be nice."

"Eh...too boring," Troy responded with a smile and a shrug.

"Well, I'm boring then. Hi."

"You're not boring, Gabriella...hi."

Gabriella gave him a small smile. "See...wasn't so bad, was it?"

Troy produced a humorous skeptical expression and see-sawed his hand from side to side in a non-committal gesture, making Gabriella shake her head good-naturedly at his dramatics. "Do you like the flowers? They're blue periwinkles," he said, his eyes moving to the flower bunch she now held.

"Um, you threw them at me? I thought you were supposed to be smoother than that, Bolton."

"What are you talking about? You're holding the flowers. You've accepted them. Would you have if I'd just handed the bunch to you?"

Gabriella considered the question and realized she likely wouldn't have. "Probably not."

"Well, there you go," he replied with a grin. Looking down at the flowers in her hand, he continued, "The blue periwinkle represents the first stages of friendship, you know..."

Gabriella looked at the beautiful flowers in her hand and then up at Troy's face. His eyebrows were slightly raised and he wore a hopeful smile. His expression in general made her want to laugh. It was one she imagined he might have used as a kid, trying to convince his mom that he deserved an ice cream cone or some similar treat. Still, it looked genuine, that hint of uncertainty lingering behind the blue pools of his eyes. "Okay, fine...you're a little smooth," she said with a laugh. "But I'd deny I said that in a court of law."

Troy laughed in response. "Of course."

"Thank you for the flowers."

"You're welcome. So, what do you think? Are they appropriate?"

Friendship? With the ab god? Gabriella would not have considered it days ago, but now...

"Could be."

Troy nodded, accepting the non-committal answer but seeing the interest in her eyes.

They began to walk together past a few more stalls. "Have you seen the Angelicas?" Troy asked, pointing toward a stall to their left.

Gabriella looked at the delicate-looking white flower bunches Troy indicated. "They're pretty."

"They symbolize inspiration...in case you needed any for your work piece."

"I don't think I've been lacking in terms of inspiration as of yet, but thanks."

"Well, just in case," Troy said, approaching and speaking to the vendor and handing Gabriella a stem full of the tiny flowers a moment later.

"Thank you," she said uncertainly.

"Sure."

As they walked on, Troy pointed toward another stand and started to give the meanings of a few flowers displayed there.

"Did you learn all about these flowers just to help you seduce women?" Gabriella interrupted him.

"Why? Are you seduceable?"

Gabriella gave him a warning look.

"Kidding, kidding. No, I didn't learn about them to seduce women. One of my recent students did an exhibit on flowers and their meanings. Her work was brilliant and I remember a good deal of the information. Plus, flowers are kind of a hobby of my mom's and grandma's, so I've picked up a few things that way over the years too."

"Oh...cool. Wait...tell me you didn't seduce that student."

"You like the word 'seduce,' don't you?" Troy teased. "No, I did not _seduce_ my student."

"Hey...figured it was in the realm of possibility," she explained with a shrug, tilting her head suggestively in the direction of a familiar blonde UCLA student's laugh coming from a nearby row.

"If I'm giving them a grade, they're off limits."

"Ah."

"Furthermore, why am I automatically the one doing the seducing?"

"Oh...just a hunch," Gabriella replied dryly.

Troy licked his lip slowly and looked away for a moment, turning back to her with a smile as they kept walking. "Oh, now that's just bad news right there," he said, changing the subject and pointing toward some pretty blue flowers.

"Why?" Gabriella asked, her curiosity piqued.

"They're Spring Gentians...it's considered bad luck to bring them into a house, as the person who does so risks being struck by lightning."

"Yeah, that's...definitely bad news."

"It gets worse."

Gabriella looked back at him, bemused.

"Folklore suggests that picking them will be followed by death."

"You're making that up."

"I'm not," Troy exclaimed in defense.

"Well, yikes."

"Exactly," Troy said with a chuckle. "Do you have a favorite type of flower?"

Gabriella thought for a moment. "Well, I like almost all flowers; they're all special in their own way..."

"Very diplomatic of you."

"But," Gabriella continued, a hint of annoyance in her voice at the interruption, "I do really like lavender roses."

Troy studied her as she said this, seeming pleased.

"What?" Gabriella asked, uncertainly.

"Nothing, just...they symbolize enchantment and uniqueness. Nice."

A small smile curved Gabriella's lips. "Hmm...I like that."

Troy held his tongue and kept from saying that he found her to be both enchanting and unique. He also left out the part about how lavender roses, being as close as possible to the unattainable blue rose, are sometimes associated with mystery and unattainability. He also found this fitting for the woman in front of him. And then there were the love-related meanings, but there was really no point in bringing those up.

At this point, they found themselves exiting the market, seeing that others from their group had done so too and were already gathering outside the tour bus, which was in view across the street. Troy looked down at his watch. "Guess I need to go round up some others."

Gabriella nodded in understanding and Troy smiled and turned, heading back into the market. Gabriella crossed the street and chatted with some of the others on the tour until her friends joined her once more. Ivan happily handed over two yellow chrysanthemums. "They seemed very bright and cheerful and I thought of you," he said, studying her to see if she liked them.

"Thank you. That was very sweet of you," she replied, smelling the flowers.

"Looks like you found some others you liked too."

Gabriella looked down at the blue periwinkles and angelicas in her other hand. "Yes...yes I did," she said with a smile.

* * *

After only about 10 minutes, the bus pulled to a stop in front of a charming brown stone building. Gabriella stepped out onto the drive and looked up at the lush green hills behind the hotel. They were staying at Grotta Giusti Natural Spa Resort in Monsummano Terme. The resort was built above the Grotta, a series of caves heated by thermal lakes to 34 degrees C, a natural sauna. Gabriella was excited to experience the natural steam bath of health, as it was advertised, so once she had gotten checked into her room, she headed down to the grotta spa entrance and the helpful staff saw her to a changing room and gave her a monk's style hooded gown and matching robe to put over her bathing suit, in addition to a pair of flip flops to wear. Then, they led her to an underground room, gave her a towel, and showed her where to hang her robe up. She was instructed to spend an hour within the three main chambers of varying temperature and humidity levels.

Only five minutes after Gabriella had situated herself in the room referred to as Paradiso, or Heaven, she looked up to see Troy enter the room. He smiled at her and sat down in a teak lounge chair opposite hers, a few feet away. She gave him a small wave, observing the "no talking" sign posted prominently within the room. After a few minutes of looking around at the stalactites and stalagmites surrounding them, she turned her attention back toward Troy. His eyes met with hers as well. Surveying him with humor, she pinched a piece of her gown and pointed to his with a thumbs up. Recognizing the teasing compliment about how he looked in his gown, Troy made a show of pretending to try to cover himself further in modesty, acting as though he didn't have his swim trunks on underneath, as was required for these rooms. Gabriella fought back a laugh. Then, she closed her eyes for a few minutes and just breathed in the thermal vapors.

When she opened her eyes again, she glanced over at Troy. He seemed to sense her stare and opened his eyes too. Then, a moment later, she saw him give a fake shiver, one eyebrow raised at her. She recognized it as a challenge to move on to a hotter room. Accepting the challenge, she stood up and moved toward the room called Purgatorio, or Purgatory, also known as Limbo. Troy followed and they looked down into the small, clear blue lake there briefly before locating chairs and choosing to sit next to each other this time. While the temperature in "Heaven" had been lukewarm, "Purgatory" was more heated and moist. They gave each other a brief smile and both settled back into their chairs further, closing their eyes and breathing in the heat.

After about 15 minutes, Troy felt a light elbowing and opened his eyes to see Gabriella with a mischievous look on her face. Seeing she had his attention, she gave a fake shiver just as he had done previously. He raised an eyebrow at her in amusement and then rose from his seat, allowing her to lead the way into the final room, Inferno, or more colloquially, Hell.

There were already several people lounging in Hell, so Troy and Gabriella ended up sitting on opposite sides of the room again, kind of diagonal to one another. The room was very hot and humid. As they lounged, Troy snuck a few glances in Gabriella's direction, which he realized was becoming a bad idea. She had chosen to bend her knees and rest her feet on a nearby stalagmite rising from the cave floor, causing her light white gown to rise up higher on her thighs. Troy tried unsuccessfully not to envision those thighs in other compromising positions. He tried to widen his focus to her whole body, but the beads of moisture that had formed along her brow, neck, forearms, and legs were kind of tantalizing and the way the gown had begun to cling more to the parts of her body it was still covering did nothing to help make his mind go to a more G-rated place. And, G-rated was exactly where they were at...barely friends but seemingly heading in that direction...which was good...but in no way promised they'd become anything more. So, Troy realized he would have to try to control his overactive imagination.

Gabriella looked over at him from beneath her lashes. He seemed too distracted to notice, but she noticed his appreciative perusal of her. It should have irritated her. She should have put her feet back on the floor and pulled her gown back down in protest. But somehow, instead she found herself thinking, 'What the hell...let him imagine.' She had no intention of letting him do anything more than that, but much as she was slightly disappointed in herself for it, she found herself a bit pleased that he did find her attractive.

And then in walked Bridget and her friend Holly, who crossed over excitedly to Troy, and Gabriella remembered just how many women Troy found attractive. Troy glanced Gabriella's way and saw her frown and then close her eyes. As the girls started to whisper to him, despite the 'no talking' signs, he tried to be polite and pay attention to them, but found himself looking in Gabriella's direction again every few seconds.

Gabriella closed her eyes and chastised herself for caring one way or another. Troy, at least, was being honest with these girls about where he stood. They were choosing to be fine with it. Who was she to be anyone's guardian? And Troy could be Troy. She could still obviously have interesting conversations with him regardless of his other co-ed activities. She just needed to separate her thoughts on those from her thoughts on him aside from those. If she could do that, then they could continue heading in a more positive direction of not wanting to rip each other's throats out continuously. She grinned at the thought and opened her eyes, feeling more neutral once more.

As the girls asked Troy if he'd been having a good day so far, he unconsciously glanced Gabriella's way again. This time, she had her eyes open and she gave him a humored quick shake of the head followed by her mimicking vicious scratching of her eyes, before glancing meaningfully at the girls' backs and then back at his face again.

Troy's lips curved, recognizing the reference to their earlier conversation in Lucca. He brought his attention back to Holly and Bridget and next noticed Gabriella as she looked at the clock attached to the cave wall and stood up, quietly exiting the room.

* * *

Troy found her again at the large outdoor thermal pool shortly after. Getting in, he swam over to where she was lounging and enjoying the underwater hydromassage in one of the four spiral mini pools. "Hey," he greeted, trying not to spend too much time glancing down to take in the bikini and the curves that filled it.

Gabriella gave him a look of pleasant surprise. "Hey." 'Okay, water does accent the torso nicely,' she thought, allowing slightly for the squealish behavior of the fan club from the first day she'd arrived. Luckily, they didn't appear to be anywhere in sight.

"Glad to be back above ground?"

"Yeah, kind of. It was definitely an interesting experience."

"Especially the last part, huh?"

Troy watched, bemused by the crimson blush that was creeping up onto her cheeks. The "last part" he referred to was the hydro massage the staff gave to each person following their time in the different cave chambers. He found the experience to be somewhat humorous, but he'd been prepared for it, having heard stories from others previously.

"I didn't realize...I went from the small changing room into the shower room wearing just my bathing suit," Gabriella said. "Then, I figured out from the guy's gestures that I was supposed to take that off too." She looked away briefly, embarrassed, before continuing. "So, anyway, I did then and the waterfall hitting my shoulders felt nice, but then when he pointed that, like, hose thing at me and started shooting the warm water at my shoulders, arms, and legs, I started laughing. I couldn't help it. It was just too funny a situation," she finished, laughing now just thinking back on it.

Troy laughed with her. "Definitely. Maybe you should write about it...call it the naked water gun treatment."

Gabriella laughed some more. "Do you think they have a water balloon upgrade?" she joked.

"I don't know. You should ask," Troy teased.

"No thanks!" Gabriella said emphatically.

"My girl seemed to be taking it pretty seriously. Do you think they have target practice sessions or something to make sure they can hit the pressure points they're supposed to?" Troy said, chuckling.

"Maybe...of course, if they hit you in a wrong spot, how would you know?"

"I'd know!" Troy said, a comically dramatic expression on his face.

Gabriella had barely stopped laughing before. Now, she found herself nearly doubling over with giggles. This only seemed to make Troy laugh harder too. They were starting to draw attention to themselves from other resort guests, none of which appeared to be from their tour, however. Eventually calming down a bit, they stared at each other, snorts of laughter threatening to still escape them. Troy cleared his throat and looked away, composing himself for a moment. Gabriella tried to do the same.

Blowing out a breath, she dared to speak again. "Well...anyway...this place has been memorable so far."

Troy turned back, biting his lower lip slightly while smiling, and shaking his head back and forth, still amused. "Maybe we should escape it for a little bit."

"What do you mean?"

Troy shrugged, giving the appearance of nonchalance. "There's free time till dinner tonight. There are some places nearby I think you'd like...unless you already have plans with your boyfriend..."

"Knock it off. He's not my boyfriend. And, you're not twelve," Gabriella admonished, seeing Troy grin devilishly in response. "And, no, I don't have plans," she continued. "Ivan, Jo, Jenny, and John decided to go off on some nature hike the hotel was offering. I opted to check out the grotta and pool here instead...said I'd see them at dinner."

"Perfect then."

"Presuming I'd want to go anywhere with you."

"I'm not the main attraction...Pinnochio is."

"What?"

"Be ready in 45 minutes," Troy called, starting to swim away.

Gabriella looked after him, baffled and annoyed that she felt baffled. "Troy! Wait!" she called, seeing him reach the edge of the pool and push himself up over the edge of it, standing and then turning to smirk back at her for a second. "See you soon," he called back and then swiftly turned, retrieved his towel from a nearby chair, slipped his flip-flops back on, and walked back into the hotel.


	8. Chapter 8

**Escape to Love Chapter 8**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. And, of course, I don't own anything in regard to Pinocchio's story, either the original or Disney's version.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Hello all! Hope you had wonderful holidays! Okay, let's see. First, T & G mean no disrespect in regard to anything they say about Carlo Collodi or Pinocchio. Second, T & G mean no disrespect in regard to anything they say about the animals in the garden. Haha! Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter and hope your 2011 is off to a great start!

* * *

She'd had half a mind to stay right where she was, to have him come find her still in the pool 45 minutes later, soaking up the sun and enjoying the heated water. But she was intrigued. So, instead she found herself standing in her room in jeans and a short-sleeved top, pulling her still damp curly hair back into a loosely piled bun. She heard a knock on the door as she was hanging her towel back up in the bathroom.

She looked out the peephole and then opened the door. "It was rude not to actually wait for me to decide if I wanted to go with you or not, you know."

Troy smirked back at her. "But here you are."

Gabriella let out a short exhale of disgust and started to push the door shut again. Troy stopped it with his foot.

"Fine," he said, deciding to humor her. "Would you like to go to Collodi with me? It's the birthplace of Pinocchio and it's close by."

Gabriella studied his face, making him wait for the affirmative answer she knew she'd give him. "Yes," she said shortly, the corners of her lips twitching slightly. "Let me just grab my things," she said, stepping away from the door and allowing Troy to enter as she retrieved her sunglasses and small purse from the nightstand and slipped on her sandals.

As she did so, Troy noticed that she'd put the periwinkles and angelicas together in a glass of water. He also saw two yellow chrysanthemums in another glass of water.

"Ivan?" he asked, inclining his head toward the flowers.

Gabriella followed his gaze. "Oh...yeah," she answered. "Seems I'm just in desperate need of some flowers today," she joked.

Troy smiled. "Interesting choice," he commented, humor showing on his face. "Let's hope you're not in need of those anytime soon."

"Why?"

"In Italy especially, yellow chrysanthemums are associated with funerals, mourning, and death. They tend to be avoided otherwise."

"Oh...geez," Gabriella said, looking over at the yellow flowers and then back at Troy.

Seeing the face she was making, Troy started laughing. "No worries. It doesn't mean anything bad for you, but you might freak out the maid when she sees it."

Gabriella gave a helpless shrug. "Ah, well...it's the thought that counts."

"Oh, yeah...of course," Troy said, not very convincingly.

"Well, I guess I'm ready," Gabriella said.

Troy smiled. "Okay, let's hit the road."

* * *

Troy had borrowed a car again and it didn't take them long to drive to Collodi, about 15 minutes.

"Here we are...Pinocchio Park...Il Parco di Pinocchio a Collodi," Troy said cheerfully as they walked up to the park entrance.

Gabriella paused to take a picture of the entrance sign. "So, this is an entire park devoted to Pinocchio?"

"Yes, to Pinocchio and his creator, Carlo Lorenzini, known to most as Carlo Collodi."

Gabriella nodded, vaguely remembering the name.

"Carlo's mother was from here," Troy explained, "and he spent some of his childhood here. He wrote 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' right across from here at Villa Garzoni where his grandfather was the caretaker and I think a chef at times too."

"So, he used Collodi as his pen name in honor of them and his time spent here?"

"Yep, he chose it when Pinocchio was first published in 1883."

"Did he write anything other than Pinocchio?"

"Yeah. He started out as a newspaper man and eventually published fiction and non-fiction books. After translating some French fairy tales, he was asked if he wanted to try his hand at writing some of his own and that led to his first big success, 'Giannettino,' an educational fairy tale. After that, he said he devoted himself to writing for children because adults are too hard to please."

"Very true," Gabriella replied with a grin.

As they began their walk through the park, they came upon a bronze sculpture depicting Pinocchio changing from a marionette into a boy. "The park is full of artwork interpreting the story. When the idea of the park was first conceived in the 1950s, artists and craftspeople were invited to share their interpretations for a competition and 84 sculptors and craftspeople responded."

"Wow."

"Yup, a good turnout. This sculpture by Emilio Greco, called 'Pinocchio and the Fairy,' was one of the winning pieces."

"How many winning pieces were there?"

"Just two. It was a tie between this one and the mosaic work of Venturino Venturi, which we'll walk by soon."

Walking on, they did indeed soon pass through a square with walls that were decorated by impressive mosaics depicting episodes in the story of the puppet. The beautiful assembly of tiles in blues, browns, golds, and other colors really made the story come to life. "This is amazing," Gabriella commented, taking it all in.

Troy smiled. "I've always thought so."

"I can't imagine the patience and vision needed to put something like this together."

"Seriously. I don't know if I've ever even finished a jigsaw puzzle. Making this probably would've driven me crazy."

Gabriella laughed in response. "Well, good thing Venturi had more patience."

Continuing their walk, they went through a small tunnel and entered the area called the Land of Toys and then entered the Village of Pinocchio, representative of where Pinocchio comes to life and runs away from home. The next statue they saw was that of the Carabineer, showing Pinocchio scampering away between his legs. Gabriella thought she recognized the next sculpture they came to.

"The talking cricket?"

"Yep, Pinocchio's conscience in animal form."

"He definitely looks like he's about ready to start preaching to us."

"Yeah, kind of creepy," Troy said with a chuckle.

"Nothing like Jiminy," Gabriella remarked, nodding her agreement.

"Nope. I probably shouldn't say this too loudly given where we are and all," Troy said in a slightly hushed tone, leaving Gabriella no choice but to lean in a bit closer to hear what he was saying, "but I think Disney did a good thing making the story less convoluted and lightening it up a bit."

"Yeah, we studied the original during a fiction writing class back in college and it was really much darker than I'd expected. And it wasn't really easy to relate to the characters."

Troy glanced sideways and noticed a few people were staring at them. He leaned a bit closer to Gabriella, continuing in his hushed tone. "We're totally going to get kicked out of here," he said, eyes dancing with mischief. Then, he jerked his head to the side to indicate they should probably keep on moving through the park. "I agree with what you were saying back there though, about the characters," Troy said, as they entered the next area. Gabriella listened, waiting for him to continue. "I mean, in the book, it's hard to feel bad for Pinocchio. It's understandable to make a mistake or two, of course, which is where I think Disney had it right. But, Pinocchio just shows again and again that he has no regard for his father and the blue fairy. He's all about the next biggest thing and it doesn't matter who he hurts in the process."

"He's really rather selfish, isn't he?" Gabriella responded.

"Definitely selfish."

"Hmm," Gabriella said, no real humor in her tone, "maybe Collodi was just inspired by people in his life."

"Maybe. Well, he does certainly show that there are consequences for acting so selfishly."

"Ah, the sneaky cat and fox," Gabriella remarked, seeing the next sculpture.

"See the pistol hidden behind their backs?" Troy asked.

"Oh...yeah, I do. Nice touch."

They entered the Wood of the Assassins next and saw the statues of two shady characters with their heads covered with sacks, which Gabriella recalled were also the cat and fox who were trying to steal Pinocchio's gold. There was a lot of vegetation surrounding them, making the area darker, lending to the proper atmosphere for the scene one was to recall at this spot. In contrast, the next area was a lighter, flowery meadow containing a sculpture of the blue fairy.

"She's rather pretty," Gabriella said, examining the details of the sculpture.

"I'm not sure there are any ugly fairies out there," Troy said jokingly.

Gabriella pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him in good humor.

They passed by the fairy's house and came to a sculpture of the Doorkeeper Snail. "Oh, I did like the snail," Gabriella said, smiling.

"The whole 'hurry, hurry...but I'm a snail and snails are never in a hurry' thing?" Troy asked.

"Yeah. I remember I thought that was rather humorous."

"Me too."

They continued on. "How would you like to have some of these growing in your backyard?" Troy asked, viewing the sculptured trees with the golden coins.

"I don't think I would. I'd have too many unwanted visitors," Gabriella answered with a smirk.

Troy chuckled, seeming pleased with her answer.

"So, if the coins wouldn't have tempted you, which of the things would have?"

"I don't know. I always enjoyed school so all of the times Pinocchio ends up running off and doing something other than going to school wouldn't have been me."

"I'm not surprised."

"Hey. You teach. You should be glad for students who actually show up."

"I never said I wasn't...just said I wasn't surprised to find you would be one of them."

"Fair enough," Gabriella said after a moment's pause. "I guess I wouldn't really be tempted by anything other than the things necessary for survival. I'd probably end up getting caught by the farmer because I would have gone after the grapes when I was so hungry or almost getting fried up as a fish because I was seeking a warm shelter."

"Hmm, I forgot about those. I guess some of Pinocchio's mishaps resulted from understandable decisions."

"Guess so. The whole story's a bunch of moral lessons for children, so I guess it's supposed to really drill those home anyway."

"Yeah. It definitely does."

"I believe it was also supposed to be an overall message for Italians. Geppetto represents Italy and Pinocchio is her people, who should work hard to take care of her and should appreciate her, or something like that."

"Interesting."

Gabriella felt pleased to have some insight Troy did not. "It's still kind of heavy though," she added, making Troy chuckle.

Continuing on, they passed the sculpture of the Serpent who blocked Pinocchio's way before eventually laughing at him so hard he burst an artery. Then, they passed the four black rabbits carrying a coffin to convince Pinocchio to take his medicine.

"There she is looking all beautiful again," Troy teased, as they approached another of the many sculptures contributed by Pietro Consagra, La Fata, or The Fairy.

Gabriella took the teasing good-naturedly and stared up at the statue, the fairy's arms upstretched, appearing maternal. "She looks so loving, reassuring...accepting."

Troy took in the piece before him, agreeing with Gabriella's assessment.

The next sculpture was kind of fun. It was the crab that Pinocchio and his classmates came across when they went to see the shark...the crab who was enraged to see the boys fighting with their schoolbooks. "Oh my gosh," Gabriella exclaimed as she passed by the sculpture. "It just sprayed me with water!"

Troy laughed, making a wider berth around the crab, who did spit water at passers by.

"Thanks for the warning there, Bolton."

"Anytime," Troy said with a smirk. "Oh, beware. Don't get fried up like a fish," he said, as they approached the next sculpture.

"I'll do my best," Gabriella responded dryly, seeing the red sculpture of the fisherman's net. "Ah, we never talked about which thing would have tempted you from the story," she continued as she saw the sculpture ahead. "I'm guessing the whole Pleasure Island/Land of Toys option would have been your downfall."

"Why? Because, you've already had me pegged as a jackass?" Troy asked wryly, looking at the donkey sculpture they were nearing, representing the donkey Pinocchio turns into after going to the Land of Toys.

"You said it, not me," Gabriella said with humor. "But no, I was thinking more of the temptation of nothing but _play_ from morning till night..."

"Ah. Well, that doesn't sound entirely unpleasant, does it?"

"I don't know. Ask him." Gabriella said, motioning to the sad looking donkey.

"Are you against play then?" Troy asked in a curious but challenging tone.

"No, only against players."

"Well, if I come across any, I'll try to keep them away from you," Troy responded, an impudent grin on his face.

Gabriella shook her head at him and moved on past the donkey, which she noted was even at an elevation below the path to further emphasize Pinocchio's humiliation in the transformation. This park was simplistic but certainly meaningful.

After passing the sculpture of the goat with the blue coat, they came across what might've been the most impressive structure yet, the Terrible Dogfish, otherwise known as the shark or the whale. Surrounded by a pond, the tilted dome contained threatening rows of sharp teeth, which were at the moment being made less threatening by the children who were playing on them. Gabriella smiled, watching them. Troy observed this, a thoughtful smile on his own face.

"Come on," he said encouragingly a moment later, heading toward the side of the whale, where there was an entrance to the mouth of the creature. Gabriella followed him carefully.

Once inside, the two of them weaved between the teeth, Troy climbing atop some and testing his balance as he tried to walk across them. Gabriella's hands flew to her mouth and then she laughed as Troy teetered and jumped back down. Venturing further into the mouth, they came upon a spiral staircase, which they climbed, emerging on top of the whale.

"This is pretty cool," Gabriella remarked, looking out over the treetops and the expanse of the park.

"Glad you like it. Watch out for the water from the whale's spout, by the way."

Gabriella's eyes grew big and she stepped back as a fountain of water shot into the air a few feet in front of her. "Thanks for the warning this time."

"Eh, I didn't want to have to jump in after you if you fell in surprise," Troy said with a playful shrug and a wink.

"How chivalrous," Gabriella said in a flat, sarcastic tone.

"Always," Troy said, grinning.

Descending the staircase, they noticed a small window. Approaching it, they saw that it showed Geppetto sitting in the depths of the whale waiting for Pinocchio to rescue him.

"Such a big, frightening thing, but once Pinocchio conquers it, he finds his happiness," they overheard a mother explaining to her son. Exiting the huge fish, they made their way back onto the path and came to the final sculpture on it, a joyful Pinocchio, still shown as a puppet since that's how he is best remembered, waving goodbye to park visitors.

"That is quite the nose," Gabriella remarked, referring to Pinocchio's long nose, which notoriously grew longer in the story whenever he would tell a lie.

"Yeah, that would be a pain."

"But you don't lie, right?" she challenged.

"Generally not, no."

"So, as my potential friend, you won't be lying to me then, right?"

"I have no intention of doing so."

"Hmm. I guess maybe I'll just have to watch you to make sure nothing grows longer around me."

Troy's eyes grew bigger and his eyebrows rose at this comment. After a moment, his lips twitched.

Gabriella looked back at him, confused for a moment, and then she thought about what she'd just said. A bit of crimson crept up her cheeks.

Troy tried to hold back the chortles of laughter that threatened.

"You know I was referring to your nose," Gabriella shot back defensively.

Troy couldn't help it. He laughed...and then laughed some more.

Gabriella waited, hands on her hips, for him to stop laughing.

"Glad to know you'll be watching closely," he said smugly once he'd stopped.

"Oh, get over yourself," Gabriella said testily, hearing Troy laugh once more as she turned and began walking on toward the end of the trail.

Troy quickly caught up to her. "Gabriella...it was funny."

"Obviously."

Troy picked up his pace and got in front of her, causing her to stop short. He looked at her with a good-humored, beseeching, little boy-like, adorable look. When her frown began to dissipate, his smile grew. Bringing his finger up to touch his nose, he met her eyes with his own. "I promise to try to keep it in check," he said, holding her stare for a few moments before winking.

Finally giving way to the grin that was forming on her face, Gabriella stared back at him. "You'd better...or it'll be a pain for you."

Troy bit the inside of his lower lip and nodded once with a silent laugh. Resuming his place next to Gabriella, the two walked past the library-museum where different editions of the book were displayed, as well as the souvenir store. Then, exiting the park, they made their way back to the car.

"I was thinking we'd check out Villa Garzoni right across the road too if that's okay," Troy said once they'd gotten into the car.

"Sure," Gabriella agreed.

* * *

The beauty that met them as they entered Garzoni Garden was something Gabriella knew she'd always remember. Aside from the floral abundance and lush vegetation, there were wonderful sculptures and two large ponds with fountains. Then, rising up behind the ponds were two opposing diagonal staircases weaving back and forth up to three upper terraces. Beyond that was an additional staircase leading up to what looked to be a higher up fountain. It all looked so majestic and she couldn't wait to continue on to see everything up close.

Gabriella checked her camera to see how many photos she could still take on the current memory card. She still had a good number left, having only snapped a few over at Pinocchio Park. "Okay, Mr. Photographer," she said, handing the camera over to an amused Troy. "This may have to be one of the featured photos for my article, so, if you wouldn't mind..." Having said this, she walked over and sat down on the wall surrounding one of the ponds and looked up at Troy expectantly.

Troy adjusted the camera settings and watched as Gabriella smiled radiantly back at him. That smile was distracting and it took him a moment to re-focus on taking the photo. "I think you have a friend," Troy said, having snapped a few photos.

Gabriella turned to see what Troy meant and saw a swan moving gracefully toward her but continuing on around the perimeter of the pond and joining up with another swan several feet away. She saw that there were also a few ducks floating around as well beneath the light spray of the fountain in the middle. "I think you guys have the life," she said, taking in the peaceful atmosphere around her once more.

"Oh, I don't know," Troy chimed in. "See that swan on the far side?"

Gabriella nodded.

"You see, I think that he wants to be with your swan friend but she, unfortunately, only has her eyes set on this dude," Troy said, motioning to the nearer pair of swans.

"Really?" Gabriella asked, humored.

"Oh, yeah. And these ducks over here," he said, pointing to a few ducks swimming together, "they're concerned their feathers are becoming a more dull and less attractive shade of brown than they once were."

"Oh my," Gabriella said, playing along, "and that duck over there is contemplating flying over to the other pond, but isn't sure if she's ready to leave the familiarity of this one."

Troy smiled. "So, you see, their lives are complicated too."

"Yes, we should let them sort them out," Gabriella said, a matching smile on her face as she rose from the pond wall and moved further into the garden, not bothering to take back her camera, Troy noticed.

Having passed by the sculpture of the ancient Italic deity, Flora, who was shown scattering flowers gathered in her gown and by the statue of the goddess of hunting, Diana, they took in the statue of Bacchus, god of wine, offering a plate piled with grapes in his right hand and holding a basket in his left, also overflowing with grapes. Troy took a photo of Gabriella pretending to steal one of the grapes. "Yep, the farmer so would've caught you," Troy joked.

They next approached the sculptures of Apollo and Daphne. "Poor Daphne," Gabriella remarked.

"Poor Daphne? Poor Apollo. The guy just wants to love her and she has her father turn her into a tree to escape him."

"She was vowed to perpetual virginity. She couldn't be with him."

"Still, she was a little overly dramatic, don't you think?"

"So, you think vows are made to be broken?"

"No, I think vows are made to be kept. I just think she could have just talked to the guy."

Gabriella shrugged. "Maybe she tried. Maybe he just wouldn't listen."

"Maybe," Troy allowed.

Approaching the visually stunning double set of stairs, they took note of the central figure of a peasant pouring water from a barrel. Ascending the stairs, they reached the first terrace, which contained a central opening. "Neptune's Cave," Gabriella read from the brochure she'd taken when they'd bought their tickets at the front. Entering the cave through a wrought iron gate, they saw the figure of Neptune on his chariot drawn by seahorses, as well as other niches in the walls showing tritons holding sea shells with water gushing from them and gargoyles and sea monsters also spouting water.

Exiting the cave, they continued ascending the stairs, seeing the statues of monkeys playing ball, as well as the statue of a peasant holding a turkey from which water was spouting forth.

"Um...interesting," Gabriella said uncertainly. Troy laughed in agreement.

They continued on, taking photos at the impressive water staircase, water flowing down on both sides from the two female statues above representing Lucca and Florence. Finally, at the top, they stopped and took in the beauty of the waterfall there, the statue of Fame atop it, blowing more water out through a shell.

"Gabriella, look," Troy said after a few minutes, pointing off to the side.

"Are those...peacocks?" Gabriella asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Yup."

"Wow. Now, wait, don't tell me...they're not entirely happy here either because they're concerned that there are too many trees and flowers and other things to hide all of their beauty?"

Troy grinned. "How did you know?"

"Just had a hunch," Gabriella said playfully. "Seriously though, what doesn't this place have?"

"I don't know, but come on...I'll show you a few more things it does."

With that, they further explored the gardens, taking different paths and finding hidden little treasures along the way...caves, bamboo forests, other little waterfalls, even a labyrinth. Making a few wrong turns and arguing a bit about some of them, the two emerged from it, laughing about their mistakes. A garden worker nearby smiled at them and began speaking to them in Italian. Troy was silent a moment once he'd finished and then he simply smiled and said "Grazie."

Gabriella had no idea what the man had said but did the same as they walked on. "What did he say?" she asked a minute later.

Troy smiled down at her. "He said 'and so should your journey together in life be successful.' He thought we were a couple."

"Oh," Gabriella said, surprised.

"It's apparently a tradition of sorts that it's kind of good luck for couples to come here and walk the maze and such...it symbolizes their relationship, not just a simple maze."

Gabriella raised her eyebrows with interest, taking this in.

"It's also apparently a tradition for couples to get all hot and heavy in the woods. He suggested a few good spots."

"You're making that up!"

"Nope."

"What spots?" Gabriella asked skeptically.

Troy quirked an eyebrow at her, his blue eyes sparkling in the late afternoon sunlight.

"Because I'm just not sure I believe you on that one," she said, by way of explanation.

"I'm not lying, Gabriella. Take a look. Nothing's growing longer...unless you'd care to visit one of those spots," Troy teased.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "Hmm, let me think...um, no thanks," she said sassily.

Troy pursed his lips and narrowed his own eyes thoughtfully for a second before shrugging nonchalantly and continuing to walk on. "Okay then, on to our next stop."

"Which is?"

"A surprise."

"That does not involve any hotness or heavyness."

"Can't promise about the hotness."

Walking to another part of the gardens, they approached a building made of crystal and stone. "A butterfly house?" Gabriella said, reading the sign on the building.

"Yes," Troy affirmed before they entered the greenhouse, which was a bit warmer than outside and had the feel of the tropics.

Inside, they read the tutorials about the various species and then ventured further into the interior into the beautiful exotic garden serving as home to around one thousand butterflies. Gabriella looked around in awe, butterflies in all colors, shapes, and sizes flying around them. Troy pointed some out that were camouflaging well with the plants around them. Gabriella pointed some out that she particularly liked the looks of, like the beautiful blue and black ones that kept catching her eye.

Looking closely at one patch of foliage, Gabriella suddenly jumped back with a gasp. Troy, curious and concerned, looked where she'd just been looking and then grinned. "Ah, the Peruvian cockroach."

"Yeah, apparently. Peruvian, Italian, American...I'm not a fan no matter what nationality of cockroach it is."

Troy laughed, pointing her in a different direction and showing her where some cocoons were hanging. They talked about what type of butterflies might eventually emerge from them. They took pictures of each other with some butterflies who were far from shy and were willing to land on their outstretched arms. And they joked about why these butterflies might be unhappy with their surroundings just like the peacocks, swans, and ducks.

Exiting the butterfly house a while later, they saw that the sun was sitting very low in the sky, its rays spreading bright colors far and wide. Gabriella could definitely see why this place was popular with those in love. "We should probably head back to the hotel," Troy said reluctantly.

Gabriella nodded, knowing he was right. Taking a few more sunset photos along the way, they made their way back to the car.

* * *

"Well, what did you think of Collodi?" Troy asked on the drive back.

"If ever there were a place to inspire fairy tales, that would be it," Gabriella said with a peaceful sigh.

"Do you believe in fairy tales?"

"Do you?"

"I don't know. I'd like to. Who wouldn't?"

Gabriella shrugged noncommittally. "I used to..."

"And then?"

"I don't know. I grew up, I guess."

"What does that mean?"

"It means..." Gabriella's words trailed off for a moment, as she stared out her car window. "It means I realize now that guys aren't looking for happily ever after...love, a devoted marriage, kids, building a life, growing old together. Or, at least, most of them aren't." She paused, then let out a short, sardonic laugh. "They care about the hot and heavy spots, not the maze of their relationship. They're more like you, looking for happily right now and whatever the next happily will be."

Troy bit his tongue, his immediate reaction being to contradict her. But she was speaking about the current him and she wasn't necessarily off. Things had been different though...before.

"_Did you actually think we were forever? Nothing lasts forever."_ Kathryn's words shot through his head.

"What if the happily right now is all you can count on?" he challenged.

"But that attitude makes you selfish...if you have no intention on trying to make it last."

"Your own intentions can mean nothing."

"True," Gabriella said solemnly. "But if..."

"What?" Troy asked when Gabriella didn't finish her thought after a moment.

"Nothing," she answered, "that's just the fairy tale." She had been about to say that if two people with the same intentions could meet and fall in love, maybe they could make it work, but she didn't know if she wanted to hope again that she could find that other soul with intentions of finding their partner in life, the love of their life, one they would be true to without exception.

Troy tucked away his own less-than-pleasant memories but was curious about what she had started to say and was once again curious about what the woman sitting next to him might have experienced before coming here. But he didn't feel comfortable asking...not when they were very new to this whole friendship thing. Of course, he thought, his mind veering off in a different direction, the whole friendship thing was a mix of encouraging and frustrating anyway...considering the number of times he'd thought of being more than friendly today. If he knew it wouldn't hurt the progress he'd already made with her, he might have tried kissing her amidst the exotic atmosphere of the butterfly house or found one of those well-shadowed spots the Italian gardener had suggested. But, he acknowledged, he respected her and he didn't want to hurt her. So, if friends is what they were meant to be, so be it. But...if happily right now should become appealing to her... Troy grinned to himself.

They rode in thoughtful silence the rest of the way. Pulling up to the hotel, Troy stopped the car. "I'll take care of parking it," he said, giving her a small smile.

Gabriella nodded in understanding. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get all heavy back there."

"No worries...it was hot," Troy joked.

Gabriella laughed, shaking her head at him. "Well, the love gardener would be proud then. We got all hot and heavy after all."

Troy's eyes widened slightly and he joined her with a laugh of his own. "The love gardener, huh?"

"Has a catchy ring to it, don't ya think?"

"Mmm...yeah, it kind of does," Troy said with a smile, glad the mood had been lightened some before they parted.

Gabriella smiled back at him. "Thanks for Pinocchio and swans and butterflies," she said sincerely.

Troy's smile curved higher. "Thanks for coming with me."

Gabriella nodded. "I'll see you later," she said, reaching for the door handle.

"Later," Troy echoed, before she stepped out of the car, shut the door, and walked through the front doors of the hotel.

She turned to see the car pull away, thinking about the fact that she definitely would have been missing out if she had opted to stay in the pool earlier rather than giving in to her curiosity. 'Maybe if this cat still treads carefully, curiosity won't kill her after all,' she thought, turning and heading in the direction of her room to get ready for dinner.


	9. Chapter 9

**Escape to Love Chapter 9**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. And, I don't own anything in regard to "Eat, Pray, Love" either.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Well, your reviews got my year off to a great start...thank you for that! :-) I hope you like this chapter. I know I had fun writing it...some parts in particular. :-) Oh yeah...and I think I want Jennifer to be my new bff...lol! Anyway, read on my lovely readers and let me know what you think...

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* * *

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Despite wondering if they would, Troy and Gabriella didn't end up seeing too much of each other that evening. Ivan, John, Jennifer, and Johanna were excited to share their day's adventure with Gabriella at dinner and then at the indoor bar lounge after. Gabriella filled them in about her time in the Grotta and the pool, leaving out her time spent in Collodi with Troy. They all enjoyed a lovely evening and planned for visiting Pisa the next day.

Troy also spent part of his evening planning some things for the days ahead, the part that wasn't spent keeping a number of tour members entertained outside at the thermal pool and poolside bar.

* * *

The next morning, the group checked out of the hotel, briefly visiting the nearby medieval villages of Montecatini Terme and Montecatini Alto as their first stops of the day. On the grounds of the magnificent Terme Tettucio Spa, where the group sampled glasses of the famed thermal waters, Gabriella reached into her purse to retrieve her camera and realized it wasn't there.

"Gabriella," Troy said, approaching she and her friends, "I think you may have left this on the bus."

Gabriella looked up to see Troy handing over her camera. "Thank you," she replied, realizing she had in fact left the camera with him after yesterday afternoon's excursion and appreciating his discretion.

"No problem," he responded, giving her a conspiratorial smile before walking off.

* * *

A little while later, the bus took the group to Viareggio, a popular, long-standing, seaside resort area just northwest of Pisa. There, they were given a few hours to enjoy the town or the beach and other aquatic options available.

Gabriella walked with her friends along the Promenade - the wide, marble boardwalk running parallel to the beach. They passed a variety of architecture styles along the boardwalk and ornate and unique entrances to the different beach sections, visited some shops, and grabbed a bite to eat from some of the vendors. Reaching the pier, they walked out over the water. Gabriella noticed a number of grand yachts and other sea-worthy vessels surrounding them. She also took note, a bit wistfully if she was being honest with herself, of the spattering of couples on nearby rocks, kissing and playfully enjoying their time by the sea.

She felt a gentle nudge of her arm by another arm. "Pretty nice place, huh?" Ivan asked, smiling down at her.

"Yeah, you could say that," she responded, giving him a smile in return.

She watched as his eyes scanned the same couples she'd been observing, his eyes returning to her thoughtfully. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what his thoughts were just then. "Oh, look," she exclaimed, pointing across the pier to a particular booth, diverting Ivan's attention and getting the attention of John, Jennifer, and Johanna, who had walked a bit further down the pier.

"Dolphin watching?" Ivan asked, amused.

"Yeah...and not just any dolphins...Italian dolphins," she said with a grin.

"Well, when you put it that way..." he responded teasingly.

"Let's go check it out," said Jennifer, coming back toward Gabriella.

They all walked over to the booth and learned that the boat crew could take them out in just a few minutes if they liked but that they didn't generally take groups of less than six people.

"So, we just need one other person," Johanna said.

They looked around, checking to see if there was someone else from their tour group that they might like to also spend the next hour and a half with.

"Be right back," Gabriella said after a few moments.

* * *

Troy had been sitting at the end of the pier eating a gelato and watching the waves come in. He didn't have his board with him but had considered renting one. And then as he saw her approaching, a tentative smile on her face, he thought his plans just might change.

* * *

She had been looking around, wondering who from their group she might spot and wondering who she might want to go on this short cruise with, when she spotted him sitting there, surprisingly alone and looking rather contemplative. She didn't stop to have a second thought. He should be their sixth person. And so she found herself walking over to where he was sitting, standing in front of him, and looking down into those vibrant blue eyes.

"When I look into your eyes, I hear dolphins clapping."

"What?" Troy asked, his face screwed up in confusion and amusement.

"Sorry. It's just a line from 'Eat, Pray, Love' that came to mind," Gabriella explained with a half shrug and a grin that Troy found adorable.

"Umm...okay?" he responded, still confused and amused.

"It's my lead in, actually. Or maybe I should have asked you if you'd ever seen a dolphin clap..." Gabriella trailed off, her eyes flitting back toward her group and then back to him.

Troy laughed. "Nooo, can't say as I have...lead in for what? What are you trying to ask me?"

Gabriella bit her lip, wondering why she felt nervous. She wanted to go on this excursion but if Troy said "no," they could still ask someone else. It didn't have to be him...except she wanted it to be. He was interesting...and they were getting along right now... She realized he was still staring at her questioningly.

"Umm, well, would you like to go see some dolphins...now, I mean?"

The corners of Troy's lips began to rise with the question. "Will they be clapping?" he asked teasingly.

"They might be if you say 'yes'...you never know."

"And where would we be seeing these dolphins?"

Gabriella explained the situation further, adding that the crew also said they could probably stop and swim with the dolphins a little bit too if they wanted. She noted that Troy was wearing a loose button-down shirt and board shorts and she knew that she had her bikini on underneath her shirt and shorts. They had all known a beach stop was on the agenda today, so her friends were equally prepared.

Troy was a little disappointed, though not surprised of course, that it wasn't just Gabriella asking him to go somewhere one on one. He was starting to enjoy their little side trips. Still, the chance to see her rocking that bikini again and to still get to know her some more...and who didn't love dolphins?

"Yeah, sure...I'll go," he answered her, seeing her eyes light up a bit.

* * *

"Troy!" Jennifer exclaimed as they walked toward the group. "You're our sixth?" she asked with a grin.

Troy returned it. "It seems I am."

"Awesome!" she replied.

"Hey, thanks man. Gabriella was really hoping to get to go and watch some dolphins," Ivan said, casually swinging an arm around her shoulder as Troy had seen him do two days before. Gabriella looked as uncertain about it today as she had then. Troy wasn't sure if Ivan sensed that or not, as he did merely give her shoulder a light squeeze a minute later and then brought his arm back down.

Troy bit the inside of his cheek and gave a quick nod.

"Well, let's get this show on the road," John said, leading them over to the boat.

Everyone followed but Jennifer grabbed Gabriella's arm and held her back a minute. Gabriella looked at her warily. "You invited Troy?" Jennifer asked in a hushed tone, narrowing her eyes at her friend suspiciously.

Gabriella gave a slow shrug of her shoulders. "Yeah. He was actually alone and, you know, he's our tour guide. He's supposed to help make everyone's experience enjoyable, so I figured he might say 'yes' to coming along with us."

Jennifer studied her for a moment, a curious expression on her face and a twinkle in her eyes.

Gabriella felt nervous once more under her friend's perusal. "I mean, he did say 'yes' and we're getting to go, so I don't really see the problem with it..."

"I have no problem with it," Jennifer said quickly. "I'm just surprised by it. You're not exactly his biggest fan," she explained, raising an eyebrow at Gabriella.

Gabriella's eyes darted toward Troy's back as he and the others got closer to the boat. "He's..." she paused, thinking. "I'm not a fan of how I see him acting at times, but aside from that...he might not be as bad as I thought. He's a good tour guide. He's smart and interesting..."

"And you want him to make your tour experience enjoyable?"

"Not like that."

"Because you're still going to keep your eggs far away from him, huh?" Jennifer asked with a smirk, recalling the conversation they'd had on the bus the other day.

"Of course," Gabriella answered defensively, seeing Jennifer nod in response, looking like she didn't quite believe her. "Anyway, he's a sixth warm body, which means we get to go see some dolphins," she finished, with a forced, challenging smile.

Jennifer continued to study her, humor crossing her face. "I have no complaints about the body you picked," she said with a grin. "My fiance might...but I don't."

Gabriella shook her head at her. "Come on. Let's get to seeing some dolphins," she said, grabbing Jennifer's arm this time and pulling her toward the boat. Jennifer laughed and the two of them caught up to the others and climbed onto the boat.

* * *

Out on the water, the six of them talked about the tour so far and also about the area they were in now.

"I heard this area was famous for marble," Ivan said.

"That's true," Troy confirmed. "Just north of Viareggio is Pietrasanta, where Michelangelo went to obtain much of the marble for his masterpieces. He was the first sculptor to recognize the beauty of the local stone there."

"Hunh," Gabriella said with interest. "I guess you don't ever really think about where the artists got their raw materials."

"Yeah," he continued, "there's a lot of folklore in the area about how he built roads to transport the marble to the sea so that it could be transported along the river to where he needed it."

"The process would probably be a bit faster and easier today," Jennifer put in, earning a few smiles of agreement.

"Are there still a lot of sculptors in the area?" Ivan asked.

"Definitely," Troy said. "A good number of artists come from all over the world to Pietrasanta to learn, to work, and to display their pieces. There are still plenty of marble quarries and studios around too."

"Hmm, sounds like an interesting place," John remarked.

"What place here isn't?" Johanna asked with a smile.

"True," John agreed.

"Is that Cinqueterre?" Gabriella asked Troy, pointing toward the rugged shore off in the distance.

"Yep," he answered with a smile.

"What's Cinqueterre?" Jennifer asked.

"The Five Lands," Troy and Gabriella answered at the same time, turning their heads to stare at each other in amusement.

"They're these five remote villages set along dramatic coastal cliffs," Gabriella explained.

"And it used to be that you could only get to them by boat or mule," Troy added.

"Mule?" Johanna asked, amused.

"Yep, there were mule paths along the cliffs. Of course, they're now mostly paved and people hike them to visit the villages and see the scenery," Troy continued.

"Yeah, that's how I first heard about Cinqueterre. My friend Ryan and his partner, Jeff hiked there a few years ago on their European vacation. They really enjoyed it."

"Sorry we won't be visiting the villages through our tour," Troy apologized.

Gabriella shrugged with a small smile. "That's okay. I'm kind of content seeing them from here."

"Yes, this seems more relaxing," John commented.

"Besides, our feet are still going to be screaming at us every other day from all of the walking we're already going to be doing," Jennifer said with a laugh.

"Troy, can we possibly get my dear daughter a mule to ride when we get to Pisa?" John asked with mirth, said daughter narrowing her eyes at him for it.

"Well, we do aim to please," Troy said, going along with the joke.

"Pleeeaaassseee...don't," Jennifer said in a dry tone.

Everyone was grinning when Enrico, one of the crew members, alerted them that they were coming upon the area where they usually spotted a good number of dolphins. He told them how this area was internationally protected and that both whales and dolphins could, at times, be observed in their natural habitat there.

"Ah, everybody, off the starboard side, there we have some Stenella coeruleoalba...striped dolphins, or blue-white dolphins. These dolphins have a pattern of blue or dark gray and white stripes that blaze along the lateral and dorsal sides of their bodies."

Everyone turned to look, producing their own "oohs" and "aahs" and snapping pictures with their cameras. Enrico went on to share various facts about the dolphins in the area, pointing out examples of them as they moved along. Soon, they slowed to a stop, the crew throwing down the anchor. With the help of Enrico and his brother, Marco, they all got into the water. The dolphins they saw seemed familiar and comfortable with the brothers and their vessel. They explained that they came out here a number of times each week. They instructed the group in just being natural out here in the water and remembering that the dolphins, while friendly, were still animals of the wild. That said, a few did swim close enough for the brothers to pet them and, with care, the brothers also allowed each of the group to get closer and pet a dolphin briefly. The dolphins were not terribly interested in staying still, however, so mostly the group watched them swim and frolic in the warm waters around them.

"They're so beautiful," Gabriella said, gazing dreamily over at a pair of dolphins swimming by.

Troy gazed at her instead. She was such a different woman at times, showing a softer side he found himself rather appreciating. That said, her "settle for no bullshit" side was also rather attractive to him.

"So, you find Italian dolphins to your liking?" Ivan asked teasingly, treading water next to her.

"Very much so," she answered, smiling at him.

Troy watched the interaction from his spot in the water on the other side of her. "Even if they're not clapping?" he asked in a low, humored voice.

Gabriella laughed in response. "Even then."

Ivan looked at them both, confused.

"We're going to do some observation and sonar research now," Enrico said just then. "If you want to continue to swim for a bit, feel free."

The group all nodded as Enrico and Marco climbed back onto the boat.

"Oh, look," Jennifer exclaimed. "I think there's a whole school on the other side of the boat.

"Really?" Johanna asked from Ivan's other side, shooting a look his way before swimming toward the other side with her sister and father.

Ivan smiled at her and turned to smile at Gabriella with eyes raised. Gabriella nodded and Ivan turned and swam in the other direction too. Continuing the chain of nonverbal communication, Gabriella turned and met Troy's eyes. He started to nod at her and then he saw something out of the corner of his eye. "Look," he said, "over there."

Gabriella followed the direction of his stare to an area about fifteen feet away and a moment later she saw two dolphins jump into the air and dive back into the water in unison.

"Oh my gosh," Gabriella exclaimed, her face looking downright gleeful as her head whipped back in his direction for a second before turning back to see if the dolphins were going to jump again.

Troy laughed, enjoying her reaction as much, if not more, than seeing the play of the nearby dolphins. They waited several moments, seeing the dolphins jump once more before seeming to move on, and then Troy took the opportunity to speak.

"So, 'Eat, Pray, Love,' huh?"

"Yeah," Gabriella said, turning and facing him.

"You aren't moving on to India and Bali next, are you?"

"Nooo, and what do you know about 'Eat, Pray, Love?'" she asked, tilting her head and studying his face.

"That she eats and prays and loves and goes to those three places?" Troy said with humor. "I've seen the movie trailer."

"Oh...well, I saw it on the plane ride over here."

"Was it enlightening?"

"I don't know. It made me look forward to Italy more."

"How so?"

"Well, for one, it made me want to go to Naples, eat a huge pizza, and go up a jean size."

Troy laughed. "Well, that can be arranged."

"Excellent," she said, lips curving upward. A bit more than that had stuck with her from the movie, of course. Parts of it had certainly resonated with her as she was sure they did with many women, but she didn't particularly feel like analyzing such things right here and right now.

"Hey! You guys are missing it over there," Ivan yelled, swimming back around to them.

"Oh, sorry. We were heading that way and some other dolphins caught our eye. They were jumping, but they came and went so fast we couldn't even call you guys back," Gabriella explained.

Ivan seemed to survey the area and then Troy for a moment. "No worries. We just wondered. We saw dolphins jumping over there too. It's pretty amazing, huh?"

"Yes, it is."

"Guess I should thank you," Ivan said, looking into her eyes.

"As should I," Troy cut in, also peering into the same dark chocolate orbs.

Gabriella felt a tension in the moment that made her uncomfortable. Two men were staring at her, a bit intensely unless that was just her imagination.

"You're both quite welcome," she answered with a small smile, hoping that was the answer they were looking for.

Two killer smiles in return. What was she to do with that? Before she could think about it too much, she heard Enrico call from the boat telling them it was time to head back in.

"Ivan, my man, lead the way," Troy said in a cheerful voice.

Ivan looked as though he didn't quite want to, but when Gabriella smiled and nodded at him, he turned and swam toward the boat.

Gabriella turned and let her arms and legs glide through the water, noticing that Troy was swimming beside her.

"I mean it," he said, sincerity in his voice. "Thank you."

Gabriella looked over at him, seeing it on his face as well. "So do I. You're welcome. It's nice to be able to return the favor."

They smiled at each other as they reached the boat, awaiting their turns to climb back on.

"Your _whatever_ beckons," Troy said sarcastically a moment later, jerking his head to indicate Ivan, who was leaning over the boat with a towel open and ready for her.

Gabriella gave Troy an admonishing look and then moved closer to the ladder off the back of the boat. Reaching it, she climbed onto the back platform, accepting Ivan's hand to help her stand up and then accepting the towel from him. As she did, she noticed a scowl cross his face and wondered what caused it.

As she climbed back onto the boat, Troy couldn't help but admire the view...ample and enticing. He heard Ivan clear his throat. Glancing at him, he couldn't resist increasing the other man's irritation further. So, he looked back at Gabriella, looked at her from head to toe, toe to head, making it clear what types of thoughts were running through his head.

Gabriella turned back to see Troy now climbing onto the boat. Seriously, how did he get abs like that? And, oh, those board shorts were riding a bit low on his hips. She turned back toward the others. Jennifer was eyeing her with amusement, alternately appreciating the view at their disposal as Gabriella had been.

"Thank you," Jennifer said to her as she moved further onto the boat. "So much...beauty to see out here," she said, eyes darting in Troy's direction once more.

Gabriella glanced back again too before turning back, a bit of pink in her cheeks. "Your fiancé would hate me."

Jennifer laughed. "Nah, David knows I just enjoy looking. Who doesn't? Though I'm sure you could do more than just look if you wanted to..."

Gabriella looked over to see that Johanna and John currently had Ivan's attention.

"Not exactly a bad specimen either," Jennifer said, glancing over at Ivan.

"Looking's enough...on both accounts," Gabriella responded.

"For now," Jennifer said knowingly, earning an eye roll from the brunette in front of her.

As they headed back into shore, they all chatted about the dolphins and the fun they'd had. As was generally the case, the return trip seemed to go a lot faster and they found themselves back at the pier before long. Given that it was near time for the tour group's meet up back at the bus, they all walked together down the promenade and made their way to the parking area.

* * *

On the ride to Pisa, Troy made his way along the aisles, playing the good host and chatting with people along the way, asking how they'd enjoyed their day so far. When he finally made it to Gabriella's group, they were nearing their stop in Pisa. Still, Gabriella scooted over and he sat down and talked with them all some more for the next several minutes, learning more about John, Johanna, and Jennifer, primarily.

As she felt his warmth next to her on the seat, she also noticed the warmth he was emanating to her friends. She had noticed it as he'd chatted his way to the back of the bus too. There was something in his way that just drew people in, made them feel like talking to him. And while he had been friendly to everyone, Gabriella observed that he hadn't seemed to be trying to be more than friendly with certain young co-eds, a fact that confused her a little but was nonetheless nice to observe.

In Pisa, Troy led the group on a tour of some of the main points of the city, including the University of Pisa, the Lungarni quays, and the Piazza dei Cavalieri. At the university, Troy had pointed out that while Galileo Galilei had originally gone there to study medicine to please his father, he eventually left it without receiving a degree. In an even more interesting turn of events, he later ended up getting a position on the faculty of the school, despite never having earned a degree from them.

Now, having explored the other buildings at the Piazza del Duomo ("Cathedral Square"), also known as Piazza dei Miracoli ("Square of Miracles"), the group finally came to the attraction they'd all been wanting to see, the famous Leaning Tower, which is actually the Duomo's bell tower.

"Remember our friend and Pisa's famous son, Galileo?" Troy asked, receiving nods from the group. "Well, he actually did some experimentation here at the Leaning Tower. While teaching here, he decided to test one of Aristotle's much debated laws of nature, that heavier objects fell faster than lighter ones. Aristotle's word on this had been accepted as gospel truth and very few had attempted to actually test the theory. So, Galileo climbed up to the top of the tower, carrying a variety of balls of varying size and weight. He dumped them off of the top and, as witnessed by a huge crowd of students and professors, they all landed at the base of the building at the same time. He proved Aristotle was wrong."

There were several murmurs of approval from the crowd.

Troy smiled and continued speaking. "Construction on the tower began in 1173 but the seventh and final floor wasn't added until 1319. How many of you think that the lean was discovered once the building was completed?"

Troy waited, seeing a few hands raised.

"You'd think so, huh?" he continued. "Actually, it was only five years into construction of the building, when only the third floor level had been reached, that weak subsoil and a poor foundation led to the building sinking on its south side. So, construction ceased for a century, allowing the subsoil to stabilise itself and preventing the building from collapsing. Then, when construction resumed, they built the upper floors with one side taller than the other to help adjust the lean. At completion, the tower had a lean of about one degree."

"It's more than that now though, right?" Ivan asked.

"Oh, yeah. It's at about a four degree lean now," Troy answered. "Any other questions?"

"Can we go up in it?" Johanna asked.

"Yep, we certainly can. Anyone who wants to do so though needs to know that there are nearly 300 steps to the top."

"Bring on the cardio," Jennifer joked, earning some laughs from those around her.

Shortly thereafter, Gabriella, the Ericksons, Ivan, and Troy, along with a few other members of the tour group, found themselves looking out over the city of Pisa from the top of its most famous landmark. Gabriella somehow found herself standing between Ivan and Troy again. Looking around her, she considered the state of the structure on which she stood. Built on weak soil and an unsteady foundation from the start, yet they kept building it. It wasn't terribly different than her relationship with Michael, though only he had known the foundation was unsteady. Gabriella had gone on trying to build it, only learning later that it never stood a chance. Her sad reverie was interrupted when Ivan asked a question of Troy. A brief thought crossed her mind regarding whether Ivan was asking questions of Troy because he actually wanted the answers or because he wanted to test Troy. Observing his expression, she thought it might just be a little bit of both.

"This isn't actually the only leaning tower, is it?"

Troy looked from Ivan to Gabriella and back briefly. "Would I ruin your experience here if I told you it's not?"

They both shook their heads "no."

"Okay. Well, no, it's not. A good number of other bell towers across the country also lean, but this one just seems to have the most history and therefore, gets the most attention. If you ask anyone in Pisa though, they'll likely deny the existence of any other leaning towers. Tourism is healthy for the economy, you know," Troy said with a smirk.

Ivan and Gabriella both smiled at the comment.

Over the next several minutes, the group took turns taking pictures of each other in various configurations, including Troy in some of the shots as well. Back on the ground again, picture taking continued. Naturally, they had to get the infamous photos of themselves appearing to hold the tower up. Finishing up their time at the Piazza, the group filed back onto the bus and headed toward their next destination.

* * *

About an hour later, they approached San Gimignano, where they'd be spending two nights. Nearing the small, walled medieval hill town, Gabriella could see the towers rising up from it, fourteen Troy had said. He had called it the"Manhattan of Tuscany" as he'd told the group a bit about it on the way. But seeing it arise in front of her was even more impressive than hearing about it, undoubtedly even more so with the beginning colors of sunset highlighting the towers. The town was ancient, founded as a small village in the 3rd century B.C. Gabriella was excited to get inside its walls and check it out, though she wouldn't likely be checking much out until the next day.

The hotel they were staying at, Hotel Bel Soggiorno, was located on the main street of the old town, surrounded by souvenir shops, museums, and art galleries. It was apparently housed in a fully renovated thirteenth century building. Gabriella and her friends checked into their rooms and met up out in front of the hotel, walking the main street and taking in the old brick buildings around them and the various towers jutting into the sky around the town, just getting a feel for San Gimignano. Darkness was quickly setting in and they headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.

* * *

Entering the hotel's dining room that night, Gabriella quickly located the table her friends had commandeered. She sat down at a spot Ivan indicated he had saved for her, next to him. Settling herself, she realized she was facing the doorway. She also realized that there was still one empty seat across from her, next to Jennifer. John sat on the other side of Jennifer and across from his other daughter, Johanna, who sat on the other side of Ivan. Looking around, Gabriella noticed that most of the tables were tables of six.

Bringing her eyes back around to her own table, she spotted Troy. He was just entering the room, saying a cordial "Hello" to the Blakes. She anticipated that he would sit down with someone from his enthusiastic fan club. He had to be missing them after all, didn't he? But as she watched, he looked around the room, his eyes stopping once he spotted her. He offered her a brief nod and a smile. Then, he started walking toward their table. Others called to him along the way and he greeted them but continued to their table.

"Hey guys," he greeted. "What do you think of the town so far?"

"It's amazing," Jennifer answered.

"Like stepping back in time," John added.

"I can't wait to check out the piazzas and towers more," Johanna said.

Ivan stayed uncharacteristically silent. Gabriella did too.

"Hey, we have an extra seat here, Troy, if you'd care to join us," Jennifer offered.

"Oh, I'm sure Troy has had quite a few offers like that already," Ivan said, choosing to speak up at that moment, looking directly at Troy.

Troy detected the challenge in the other man's eyes. A smile rose on his lips. "I'd love to," he said, thanking Jennifer and sitting down opposite Gabriella, who was looking at him, her lips curving slightly.

They all shared a very nice dinner, enjoying the local fare, delicious dishes featuring saffron, which the town was known for. They also sampled the town's well-known white wine, Vernaccio di San Gimignano.

"So, how's the book research going?" Troy asked Ivan, as they were all finishing up their meals.

"It's going well. There's so much information, so much history and culture. My biggest challenge will be self-editing." As he finished saying this, Ivan looked over at Gabriella, who nodded in understanding, and they shared a smile.

"Do you think you'll have that challenge too, Gabriella?" Troy continued.

"It seems that way so far. Italy has already so exceeded my expectations and it's only the end of the first week. I need to decide which experiences I wish to share with the readers and which ones I wish to keep just for myself."

Troy stared into her eyes, wondering if they would share any experiences that would be purely personal or if they even already had.

Gabriella read the question in Troy's eyes and she honestly didn't know the answer to it. What she would and would not publish would ultimately be determined at the end of her journey. For now, she was writing about all of her experiences. Her process was more free flow with editing coming later.

"It's probably good for us to have both types," Ivan said in a lower tone, making Gabriella wonder if he meant they should have them together. Troy, on the other hand, didn't wonder. He knew that's what Ivan was getting at.

"I'm sure whatever you both write will be brilliant," Johanna said, her eyes taking in both faces.

"Thanks, Jo," both writers said, sending warm smiles her way.

"Actually," Gabriella said, taking one more sip of her wine and glancing down at her watch, "I do need to write some more tonight and check in with my editor. So, I should probably bid you all goodnight."

"Really?" Jennifer asked, a half-pout on her lips. "I was thinking we could all grab a drink at the bar too.".

"Sorry. Maybe tomorrow night," Gabriella said apologetically.

"Well...alright. Don't work too hard," Jennifer replied.

"Do you want me to walk you?" Ivan asked eagerly.

Gabriella forced herself not to bite her lip. "No, that's okay. You guys have fun," she said, rising from the table, the men rising out of courtesy as she did so.

Troy eyed her curiously. "Goodnight," she said with a smile, meeting Troy's eyes last before sliding from behind the table and walking out of the dining room.

* * *

Up in her room, Gabriella took the time to type up some notes about the day and to shoot a status email to Nancy. Then, feeling a bit sticky from the day's exertions and still smelling the seawater on her from earlier as well, she decided it was high time for a shower. She hadn't had time for one between exploring the town and needing to make it down to dinner in time.

As the water ran down over her, she thought back on the day. It was an interesting turn of events bringing Troy into her circle of friends here and seeing him fit in wonderfully. That was of course his job and he was very good at it. Still, it was interesting to see. Johanna and Ivan seemed to have warmed to him less than Jennifer and John. Johanna seemed wary for the same reasons she had been thus far, but didn't have the more recent experiences with him Gabriella did. And Ivan...well Ivan was giving her the impression he saw their friendship blooming into more. She wasn't so sure about that. He seemed like a great guy...certainly attractive, smart, caring...someone who seemed to have his act together. But, there was just something missing...at least right now. Maybe time would tell, but at this point, all she felt was friendly toward him.

Friendly...she and Troy had definitely started to become that. She couldn't deny she had been enjoying his company these last couple days, despite the myriad of reservations she had had about him from the start. She couldn't deny he was intelligent, interesting, highly attractive, and sometimes downright charming in a rather honest sort of way. She still didn't fully trust him though. She didn't know enough about him and what she did know gave her reason to pause. But as long as he was real with her, she was willing to keep giving him a chance. And he intrigued her, which, she acknowledged, was part of what scared her even more. If she barely had any interest in him as a person, she'd have nothing to fear. It wouldn't matter if he turned around and became an ass around her again tomorrow. But, at this point, she'd find that highly disappointing. She'd have her guard up so that it wouldn't entirely shock her, but she would not be pleased. She wondered what he thought about this new friendship he was cultivating with her. She wondered about his motives. The way he looked at her sometimes was unnerving. It was mostly kept in check, but sometimes...sometimes she liked it more than she felt she should.

Stepping out of the shower, Gabriella retrieved a towel and wrapped it around her. She took her time applying moisturizer to her face and lotion to her arms and legs. Then, she went into the bedroom area and retrieved her hair dryer from her suitcase, noting that her hot shower had not only steamed up the bathroom but had left her room a bit stuffy and humid as well. She cracked open her balcony door to help remedy the situation and then went back to the bathroom. Singing to herself softly from habit, she plugged in her hairdryer in an outlet above the sink, and then...darkness and sparks flying. She jumped back and yelped. Doing so, her arm hit the shelf above one side of the sink, sending several toiletry items crashing into it loudly, causing her to yelp again.

"Gabriella! Are you okay?"

Gabriella stood immobile. "Troy?" she asked in disbelief, not seeing him through the darkness but knowing that smooth voice well now.

"Yeah," Troy answered, a light from his cell phone illuminating his face a moment later.

"What are you doing in my room?"

"Your balcony door was open and I heard you scream."

"You're staying next to me again?"

A pause. "It seems so."

"Well, you really need to stop barging into my room."

Another pause and the light from Troy's phone went out. "Well, sorry to have disturbed you," he said, sounding perturbed. She heard footsteps start to move away from her.

"Wait! I didn't mean leave," Gabriella called, reaching her hands out and trying to feel her way out of the bathroom without causing any more damage. Moving in the direction of the bedroom, she ran smack into something hard...not something, she mentally corrected, someone.

"Mmmph," they both exclaimed.

Troy's hands automatically came up to grasp her arms, and her hands, having been held out in front of her were now sitting squarely on his chest...his bare chest apparently. Resting there, they felt the rise and fall of his breath and the steady heartbeat beneath his left side. They also felt just how solid that chest was, and how warm.

Troy's fingers wrapped easily around her arms...soft, smooth arms. He felt her hands resting on his chest, felt the tingle of those delicate fingers against his skin. After Gabriella had retreated to her room, he had spent a bit of time at the hotel bar, being social with her friends as well as some of the others from the group. The girls who'd been itching to have him to themselves had vied for his attention somewhat and he had shared a drink with them, trying to enjoy their company too but finding he just wasn't really interested. So, he'd left. He'd come up to his room, the room he'd requested when he'd spoken with the manager last night, the room next to hers. He partly wanted to stay close to make sure she was okay, that she stayed safe. She was a woman traveling alone, after all. But more than that, he just...wanted to stay close. He hadn't thought too hard about his motivations when he'd called the hotel; he had just acted. He hadn't been back up in his room tonight for long when he'd stepped out onto his balcony to get a breath of air and to see if her light was still on. He'd noticed her balcony door was actually cracked open and then he'd listened, hearing the strains of her soft singing, smiling to himself. And then, darkness and yelping...and here they were.

"Troy?" he heard her say tentatively.

"Yeah."

"I think I blew a fuse."

She heard him chuckling softly, felt his chest vibrating beneath her hands. "I think you did too."

"Stop laughing at me," she said testily, lifting a hand and giving him a light smack on the chest.

That just made Troy chuckle further as he slid his hands down her arms and let go of one arm reluctantly so that he could retrieve his cell phone from his pocket again and light their way to the balcony. Keeping his other hand on one arm, he pulled her gently in that direction. Once outside, there was light coming from his room. He moved toward it but Gabriella stopped, staring at his back until he turned around. She realized that he was still wearing his button down shirt from earlier, along with the khakis he had worn with it to dinner. The shirt was just apparently now unbuttoned.

"They're going to need to check things out and replace the fuse before you get power back," Troy explained. "You can wait in my room in the meantime."

"Fine, but...I'm only wearing a towel. I don't really want to climb over the railing right now."

Troy considered this for a moment, seeing her concern. "Fair enough," he said, swiftly bending and scooping her up into his arms.

Gabriella gasped. She hadn't expected that. No sooner had he lifted her, however, than he set her down on her feet on the other side of the railing. Standing on his balcony now, she backed up slowly, waiting as he stepped over the rail and then motioned for her to enter his room. "Sorry," he said, "I left my key sitting on my dresser or else we could have tried to go back through your room and enter mine that way."

Gabriella nodded her understanding. She walked through the balcony door, holding her towel to her self-consciously. She did mentally give him credit though. He had held her very briefly and very appropriately. Given her current predicament, she definitely appreciated not being taken advantage of.

Troy looked at her, now fully visible to him in the light. She was indeed only wearing a towel. His mouth went dry as he saw how it clung in all the right places. But what he noticed above all that was that she was gripping it to her, looking quite uncomfortable. Forcing himself to turn away, he opened his closet, turning back to her a moment later holding out one of the robes that had been hanging there. "Here. My bathroom's over there," he said, pointing. "Try not to anger anything in there, will ya?" he said, attempting to joke lightly.

Gabriella accepted the robe and disappeared into his bathroom, returning a minute later looking slightly more comfortable now that she was more covered.

"I called down to the front desk. They'll get a technician to work on your room but they said it might take an hour or so."

"Okay...thanks. I feel stupid."

"Don't. It happens." They stared at each other for several silent moments. "I feel overdressed," Troy said, breaking the silence.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him. "Have a seat, Gabriella. It could take them a while."

Looking around, she sat on a desk chair next to the desk sitting nearby. She was careful to keep her legs pressed together and to make sure her robe continued to cover her as she sat down.

Troy asked what had happened and she explained.

"Ah...yeah, the electrical systems in these renovated older buildings can be testy at times."

"I guess so."

"I did mean it though, about being overdressed...I was actually going to take a shower before I heard your yelps. Do you mind?"

Gabriella shrugged and picked up one of the tourist magazines the hotel had provided on the desk in front of her.

Troy shot her a small smile and then disappeared into the bathroom. She heard water running in the shower a minute later. 'What an interesting night this is turning into,' she thought. Looking around, she observed that the room looked fairly neat. Troy had left the closet door open and she saw that he had hung up a couple things, predominantly some nicer shirts and pants, she presumed for dinners or churches or museums that required it. She did see that he had laid his room key on his dresser as he had said, along with his watch and his wallet. His suitcase was sitting on the luggage rack next to the dresser, unzipped, but with the lid down. His shoes were sitting next to the rack. The bed still looked neatly made, untouched. He had a bottle of water sitting on his nightstand and she saw that he had plugged his cell phone charger into an outlet next to it. He still had his phone with him in the bathroom though. Just as well...her journalist's natural curiosity might get the better of her otherwise. Gabriella looked back down at the magazine in front of her, opening it and trying to focus on the article in front of her. She couldn't.

Listening to the water, she pictured him beneath it, mentally chastising herself for doing so. _"...I just enjoy looking. Who doesn't?"_ Jennifer's words sprung into her head. 'Well,' Gabriella thought, 'she has a point. Looking...imagining looking...I am human after all.' She heard the water in the shower stop and bit her lip. 'Human and sitting in his room in his bathrobe,' she amended.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Do you hear dolphins clapping? I think I do...hahaha! Consequently, though I'm sure I may have taken liberties with the whole blown fuse thing, years ago when I was in Italy, my best friend did totally plug her hair dryer in and blow a fuse. Obviously, it's stuck with me. ;-)


	10. Chapter 10

**Escape to Love Chapter 10**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **So...Gabriella's starting to see Troy in a different light...and Troy's starting to notice. Hmm... (more comments at the end of the chapter)

* * *

Troy emerged from the bathroom wearing only a towel, his hair damp and several drops of water still glistening on his tanned torso.

Gabriella looked up instinctively, half wishing she hadn't. 'Look, don't touch, Gabriella,' she reminded herself. 'Actually, stop looking.'

Troy sent a smile her way and then paused, considering her expression, trying to figure out what was going on in her mind as she returned her attention to the magazine in front of her...at least partially anyway. As he moved toward his dresser, he was aware of her surreptitious glances.

'Okay, it's obviously been too long,' Gabriella thought, not being able to resist her curiosity in watching him move around in that towel.

"Interesting reading?" he asked, reaching into a drawer and pulling out a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt.

Gabriella's eyes scanned the title of the article quickly so she at least remembered what it was about. "Yeah. I didn't know the saffron here was so pure," she answered, looking up and meeting his eyes.

Troy looked at her curiously. "Um...yeah?"

Gabriella scrambled, glancing down at the article again and picking up on a key sentence. "Yes...it's...produced naturally...without any chemicals."

Troy gave her a small, polite nod. "Oh."

'Ugh...could I have had it open to a more boring article?' Gabriella thought. "Well, it tasted really good at dinner, anyway," she finished, lamely in her estimation.

"They definitely serve some delicious food here. You still haven't learned though."

It was Gabriella's turn to look at Troy curiously. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't stick around to have dessert."

"What is your obsession with dessert?"

"If you don't know, you haven't had the right kinds of desserts." Gabriella sensed the double entendre in the statement. "We should order some," Troy suggested.

"Fine," Gabriella agreed after a moment, surprising him.

"Fine," Troy responded, his lips curving slightly upward. He set the clothing down on the end of the bed and retrieved the binder with the room service menu from the dresser top. Opening it, he scanned it briefly and then walked over to Gabriella, placing it down on the desk in front of her. "What do you want?"

Gabriella forced her eyes downward from the abs and chest that were now next to her head to the menu in front of her. Why was he still just wearing the towel?

"Torta di mele sounds like it might be something good..."

"Good choice. It's like an apple flan," Troy explained. "Portions here are generous. We'll split one," he said, picking up the phone and dialing in the order, asking for some Caffe Hag as well, decaffeinated espresso with cream.

"How long until it gets here?"

"Oh, now you're eager?" Troy teased.

"I was just thinking that you might want to be wearing more than a towel when the room service attendant arrives."

Troy stared back at her, studying her as she said it. He wondered...

"Eh, they'll be fine."

Her mouth dropped open the slightest bit before she recomposed. "But it'd be more considerate of you to be more dressed than that."

"But maybe I'm being considerate to you by staying less dressed...you know, so you don't feel alone," he said, watching her slyly.

Gabriella self-consciously pulled the robe a bit tighter around her. "That's quite..._thoughtful_ of you," she said, her tone letting him know that she thought it was anything but. "I'm fine though. And you already got your clothes out anyway," she said, eyeing the shirt and pajama bottoms on the bed.

Troy gave her a cocky smirk and grabbed the clothing from the bed, turning to retrieve a pair of boxer briefs from a drawer too...in case he should wish to...better conceal and contain anything later. She did make that plain white robe look rather sexy. Once inside the bathroom again, he changed quickly, using the brief amount of time to consider what he'd just observed. She was nervous. She seemed to like what she saw and she was nervous. He had thought he'd noticed some glances of approval before, specifically yesterday at the pool and today on the boat. But she was being even more obvious tonight. He had felt the electricity in her room...electricity that had nothing to do with a fuse. He suspected she'd felt it too. And he'd noticed her glances his way when he'd emerged from his shower. She didn't want him to notice...that was clear. But Troy had become pretty attuned to when women were attracted to him...and the woman sitting in his hotel room was...whether she wanted to be or not.

Of course, that was the kicker. He knew she didn't want to be. She'd gone out of her way to make sure he knew that she wasn't and that she wasn't going to be. So, where did they go from here?

As Troy exited his bathroom for the second time that night, Gabriella looked up with an inner sigh of relief. She didn't know what had come over her but she'd just felt strongly that he really needed to be more dressed. She was enjoying her looking far more than she wanted to tonight. And even more so than that, her brain kept conjuring up an image of that towel dropping to the floor. Yep, it had been far too long...but it was going to have to be longer. That's what the rational part of her brain piped up to remind her, anyway.

Watching Troy as he walked over and plopped down on the bed, bringing his legs up onto it and pushing a pillow up behind his back as he sat using the headboard as his support, she studied him curiously. Something was nagging at her.

"How is it that we're here right now?" she asked.

"What do you mean? You don't have blown fuse-induced amnesia, do you?"

"No. I just mean it's only 11. I would have expected you to be, er, otherwise occupied."

Troy raised an eyebrow at her, amused, but he didn't say anything.

"I mean, are you...taking a night off or something?"

"'Twould seem so," he answered smoothly.

Gabriella looked back at him skeptically. "Is the human amusement park ride malfunctioning?"

"Depends. Are you offering to service it?" he shot back, even more amused by the analogy. It was rather funny as well considering the ride, as she put it, hadn't been active for days.

Gabriella stared back at him for a moment and then shook her head. "Down boy...I'm not a friend with benefits."

Troy grinned. She didn't say she wasn't a friend. "Oh, I don't know. I think there are benefits."

Gabriella, not certain what he meant by that, glanced down. Her legs did emerge from the bottom of the robe she was wearing, but she was still decently covered. Troy followed her eyes, smiling appreciatively.

"That's not what I meant, but I have no complaints either."

Gabriella's eyes shot back up and she was just about to glare at him when a knock on the door interrupted the moment.

Troy's smile widened. "That's what I meant." He got up from the bed and went to the door, allowing the room service attendant to come in and deliver the tray of dessert and espressos. Minutes later, when the attendant had gone, Troy retrieved one of the espressos and the dish of torta di mele and took up his position on the bed again.

Gabriella tilted her head at him. "You don't actually intend to share?"

Troy's lips curved. "Of course I do. But I don't intend to stand next to the desk the whole time. Come sit next to me. It's more comfortable anyway."

Gabriella considered, wondering if his intentions were innocent.

"I'm on top of the covers. You can climb in under them if you like. I _have_ my dessert," Troy finished, taking a bite to punctuate the point.

That sounded logical. She was probably just being overcautious. She and Troy had spent time alone together the past couple days and he had respected her then. And the desk chair wasn't particularly comfortable. She stood slowly, retrieving her espresso and sitting it down on the nightstand on her side of the bed. She lifted the covers and sat down, sliding her legs underneath them and pulling the blankets back up to her waist. Hmm. She had to admit this was a lot more comfortable and she felt even more covered too. She moved the pillow up behind her back as well, which made it even better. When she looked over, Troy was grinning at her.

"See?" he said knowingly.

"Oh, shut up and give me the dessert."

Troy laughed. "Say please."

"Please," she said in a clipped tone.

"In Italian."

"Per favore."

"Molto buona," Troy responded, handing the plate over to her.

"What does that mean?"

"Very good."

"Ah. Glad you approve."

"Are you?"

"Eh," Gabriella replied flippantly.

"Nice."

Gabriella noted that there was only one fork and saw that the tray did not hold an extra one either. Troy didn't seem to mind, so she went ahead and lifted it and sectioned off a piece of the dessert, bringing it to her mouth a second later. The mix of sweet with a tinge of sour was a pleasant taste. The dessert was delicious.

"Not a bad way to cap off a Friday night, is it?" Troy asked, watching her face relax further as she enjoyed the bite of dessert. Soon after, he watched her pull the fork back out between her pressed lips before retrieving another bite. 'She can finish the whole dessert if she wants to,' he thought, just enjoying watching the process.

"No. Not bad at all."

"So, what would you be doing on a typical Friday night back home?"

Gabriella finished the bite she was chewing and then handed the plate back to Troy, who proceeded to scoop up another piece for himself. "Depends. I might be completely boring, tired from the work week and sitting at home just reading or watching tv. Or, I might be out with friends grabbing dinner or drinks, maybe dancing or seeing a movie. What about you? Or is that a stupid question?"

Troy pursed his lips and shook his head at her. "My answer's pretty similar to yours."

"Except your friends come home with you."

"There you go again, assuming that you know me so well," Troy accused, narrowing his eyes at her playfully before having another bite of dessert.

Gabriella paused a moment. "Let's see. You go to a bar or a club with or without some friends. You make eye contact with at least one woman as soon as you walk in the door. You flirt with several, buying drinks, complimenting them, turning on the charm. You may or may not share anything real about yourself. You figure out fairly quickly which one...or maybe more...you wish to leave with. You hint around. You make it seem like it's their idea. You leave. You have a good time. You make sure either you or they are out of there before the sun comes up...because breakfast is not part of the deal."

Troy's chewing had slowed down as she'd spoken. She was not far off...not far off at all. He'd learned these past six months that he could play the game and he could play it well. It was fun and most importantly, it led absolutely nowhere. Silence filled the room for a minute before Troy spoke.

"But there are other nights when I'm content to sit back and watch tv or unwind playing video games, reading, or surfing the internet."

"I'm sure there are," Gabriella responded, noting that he hadn't denied anything she'd said.

There were another few moments of silence and then Troy handed the dessert back to her. "I have a question for you," he said, meeting her eyes. "Have you left with me?"

Gabriella scrunched up her face, confused.

"With someone like me, I mean."

Understanding dawned. "No," she answered after a thoughtful pause. "I like breakfast."

Troy's lips twitched. "I'll keep that in mind. Is that the real answer?"

Gabriella held his gaze for another moment, considering. "Yes and no. No, I'm not, nor have I ever been, a one night stand girl. And...yes, I've known someone with your kind of charm and your...desire for variety."

Troy nodded, mulling over this answer in his head. "And you don't desire variety?"

"No. I'm a one man kind of woman."

Troy stared into her dark eyes, wondering at the truthfulness of her statement. It would be...too fortuitous, too good to be true if she were actually everything she seemed to be. She was...well, she was just passing through. She'd be leaving Italy in three weeks. And he must have lost his mind to even be considering that they might have any more than that amount of time together. Besides, he didn't know that he had it in him to give her what she seemed to desire. He wasn't the same man he was a year ago.

"But that hasn't worked out well for you?" he asked, genuinely interested in learning more about this beautiful enigma.

Gabriella looked at him and he could see a flash of pain cross her eyes. She looked away, staring down at the torta and taking another slow bite. Swallowing a moment later, she answered quietly. "No, not exactly."

Troy took a sip of his espresso and allowed another moment before risking his next question. "Why?"

Gabriella looked back over at him, seeing the interest on his face. She wasn't quite sure why he wanted to know and she wasn't quite sure that she wanted to say much more. So, she kept her answer simple. "Because I apparently lack the ability to find a one woman kind of guy."

Troy looked rather thoughtful at that moment and she felt kind of exposed in a way that had nothing to do with only wearing a robe. "And...now, I sound like a country song," she said, attempting levity.

Troy could sense that she wasn't comfortable with where the questions were leading. He was torn. He wanted to know more, but he, of all people, understood keeping past pain to yourself. She did make him feel less certain about his own choices and his own actions with the opposite sex than he had felt since that first foggy weekend he had allowed his friends to drag him out to the bars. Since then, he had gotten comfortable with short-term, non-committal gratification. It had seen him through, met his needs. And no one had really given him cause to think twice about it, until now. Of course, his family had shared their concerns about what they could gather of his coping strategy. Friends seemed uncertain. On the one hand, they envied him. On the other, they wondered at what point he'd go back to being the Troy they'd known before. Troy had found that humorous; he'd had no intentions of being that schmuck again. But now, as he sat here, he wondered why this woman from Chicago that he'd only met at the beginning of this week was making him reconsider his current lifestyle.

"Maybe there should be a country song called 'Now, I sound like a country song.' Hmm. We should record that. Bet it would make millions," Troy said with a grin, letting her off the hook and taking himself out of his own serious thoughts.

A small smile grew on Gabriella's face. "Do you regularly record country songs?" she asked, handing the dessert back to Troy and reaching over to retrieve her espresso.

"No...but those three guitar lessons I took should be put to good use someday," he said, accepting the plate and taking another bite.

"Three, huh?"

"Yeah, teenage thing."

"Well, I'm sure my five piano lessons would make us an instant chart-topping success."

Troy raised his eyebrows, smiling back at her. "And when did you take those?"

"When I was ten."

Troy laughed. "Well, I think we've got a hit on our hands."

"As long as we include the dog and the truck."

"Of course," Troy said, handing the plate to her and motioning for her to go ahead and finish the remainder of the dessert. "Do you think you'll quit your day job?" he continued lightly.

"Do you?"

"Do you always throw questions back at the question asker?"

Gabriella looked back at him sheepishly. "No. You're just special."

"Why when you say 'special' in regard to me do I feel like it's not a compliment?" Troy asked with a chuckle.

"I dunno. Maybe you have a complex," Gabriella said, shrugging a shoulder playfully.

Troy narrowed his eyes slightly. "Maybe. And, no, I don't think I'll quit my day job."

"So, you enjoy it?" Gabriella asked, her tone serious once more as she placed the empty dessert plate down on the nightstand and took another sip of her espresso.

"Yeah. Photography keeps any work day interesting. It isn't tied down to one interpretation or one style. What you see might not be what I see, but that's the beauty of it...whether it's what we see in a finished product or what we see when framing the shot. Possibilities are endless."

Gabriella pondered this for a moment, liking his answer. She could see that he was passionate about photography. It wasn't just a job to him. "You're making me want to take one of your classes."

"Even though you think I sleep with my students?"

"But you assured me that you don't."

Troy shrugged. "I haven't...but there are alway exceptions."

"Knock it off," she said, backhanding his chest with her free hand.

"Such abuse from you tonight."

"What? You don't like it rough sometimes?"

Gabriella thought Troy's eyebrows might reach his scalp line. "Yes, I can throw the lines out there too. Don't look so surprised."

Troy grinned, pleasantly surprised that she had been playful in her reaction to what he'd said and that she'd thrown out the comeback as opposed to getting irritated with him. "Noted. For the record, you'd be welcome in my classes anytime."

"Well, thank you."

"But if you really want to learn anything about photography, I'd be happy to tell you more, whenever."

Gabriella smiled at this. "Okay, professor, I just might take you up on that."

"Okay," Troy responded smoothly. "So, what about you and that day job?"

"Oh, I don't think I'll quit it either. Heck, it brought me here!"

Troy smiled. "Very true."

They just smiled at each other for a moment and then Gabriella asked another question. "And what will you do with your share of the millions?"

"Hmm, I don't really know. Treat friends and family, travel more, more camera lenses, work on my car more, throw some kick ass parties, invest...what about you?"

"Help out family and friends, travel more, perhaps some grand shopping sprees, save and invest...oh, and maybe buy an island."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, my own private island, complete with palm trees and hammocks and a bartender to make me fruity drinks whenever."

"Nice...I can mix up a mean fruity drink, you know."

Gabriella laughed. "That sounds like an oxymoron if I've ever heard one."

Troy chuckled. "I'm just sayin'...you could let me on your island and I could make you drinks."

Gabriella tilted her head and looked back at him. "But you'd have your own millions. You could probably buy a bigger and better island and fill it with models."

For a moment, she thought she saw his jaw clench, but it was gone so quickly she wondered if she'd imagined it.

"But what if I'd rather just hang out with you on yours?"

"I'd doubt that, but...you could visit...as long as there were fruity drinks involved."

"Naturally," Troy drawled.

'And as long as you left your shirt at home,' her apparently incorrigible mind added.

'Did she just blush?' Troy thought, wondering if he had imagined the slight pinkening of her cheeks just then. As he stared back at her, he considered what some quality time alone on a private island might be like. He wondered if she was reading his mind.

A knock on the door broke the silence that had taken over for the last few moments. Troy reluctantly stood up to go answer it. He spoke with the man who had knocked, the hotel's repairman. After a few minutes, he closed the door and came back into the room.

"Your room's ready for whenever you want to return to it."

"Thanks," Gabriella replied, not quite as happy to hear that as she thought she'd be. She took another sip of her espresso and placed it down on the nightstand. "I guess I should head back then, get some sleep." Looking at the clock, she saw that it was now 12:30am.

"Okay, just, you don't have to leave yet if you don't want to."

Gabriella considered staying a while longer, but decided she probably ought to get back to her room, get her pjs on and get some sleep. Staying in Troy's room, in his bed...well, it wasn't somewhere she would have imagined herself at all. It had been fine, but she didn't feel like she should stay there now that her room was ready. She didn't want to give him the wrong idea...particularly since that idea alternated in her mind between wrong and perhaps not entirely wrong.

"Um, thanks. I probably should head back though."

Troy nodded his understanding.

Gabriella slid out from under the covers and stood up, looking down at the robe and then back at Troy questioningly.

"You can hang onto it," he said, answering her unspoken question.

She nodded and gave him a smile of thanks before moving in the direction of the balcony. Her room key was still sitting on the nightstand in her room and her door would still be locked from the hallway side. The repairman hadn't indicated he was leaving it propped open or anything. She did see though that he had left a light on in her room and that her balcony door was still cracked open, as they'd left it earlier.

Troy followed her onto the balcony, watching her stop at the railing and consider her ability to modestly step over it in the robe. "I can help again," he offered quietly.

Gabriella turned to look at him, considering for another moment before speaking. "If you wouldn't mind."

Troy's lips curved up at the corners. "Not at all." Saying this, he walked over so that he was standing next to her. He looked at her meaningfully and she gingerly lifted her arms and placed them around his neck. He placed one arm around her back for support and, after what seemed like a long moment, he bent down and slid his other arm underneath her knees, lifting her from the ground.

The first time he'd done this had been a surprise and it had seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. This time seemed...different. This time, she noticed the smell of him...a clean, musky scent...and the heat emanating from him, warming her even as the night had cooled the air around them. Her hands, though loosely crossed behind his neck, still felt some of the fine hairs there. His face was less than a foot away from hers and she looked for flaws. She didn't find any. And where his hands gripped her back and legs...well, it felt nice. Too nice. It had definitely been too long. She missed this...just the comfort of physical closeness.

"You're a bit heavier now than you were earlier," Troy joked huskily.

"Shut it, Bolton. You're the one who insisted I have dessert," she joked back, seeing Troy grin in response.

Troy set her down on the other side of the railing with gentleness. He pulled back more slowly than he needed to. Sure, he could have asked the repairman to leave her door propped open but he had hoped she might stay with him a while longer. Still, he wasn't surprised she decided not to. She didn't fully trust him and he suspected she didn't fully trust herself either. And practically, it was getting late. But they'd made progress, been comfortable with each other. In any event, he really didn't mind helping her over the railing. She felt good in his arms.

Now standing on opposite sides of the railing, they met each other's eyes. "If you need anything, I'm here."

Gabriella wondered what he imagined "anything" to be. "Thanks. I really appreciate tonight and I'm sorry for taking over your evening."

Troy waved off the apology. "It was fun hanging out, but, you know, if you want to do it again, you can just say so. You don't have to be so dramatic about it," he teased.

"Gee, I'll keep that in mind," Gabriella responded dryly.

"I mean I'm not complaining. It's good to keep the shining armor from getting rusty and all."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, a grin creeping up despite herself. "Okay, now you're just getting full of yourself. Good night, Troy."

Troy smiled...a genuine smile. "Good night, Gabriella. Sleep well."

* * *

He watched as she disappeared into her room, pulling her balcony door shut and pulling the curtain into place over it. Stepping back into his own room, he did the same. He moved the empty dish and cups back to the tray and set the tray in the hallway outside his door for removal. He went through the motions of getting ready for bed and then slipped under the covers, setting the alarm and then reaching over to turn out the light. As he lay there, he considered the body that had been under these covers just a little while back. He drifted to sleep imagining the warmth of that body still there next to him...but a lot closer and minus the robe.

* * *

Once back in her room and comfortably dressed in her pajamas, Gabriella finished her bedtime routine and crawled in under her covers, setting her alarm and then turning off her light. She lay there thinking back on the end of her evening and how pleasant it had been, despite feeling like an idiot for blowing the fuse. Troy was pretty easy to talk to and despite some of the looks and innuendos he couldn't resist, and despite some of the wanderings of her own mind, she did feel comfortable with him. He didn't take advantage of her situation. If anything, he kind of took her mind off it and she appreciated that. She thought about the attraction she'd felt to him tonight and wondered if it would be something fleeting or if it would be there the remainder of the trip. That could be troublesome. She didn't know where she stood. Coming to Italy, she'd had no intentions of exploring anything but the sights and culture of the country. Over the past several months, she'd grown accustomed to her life revolving around work, family, and friends. She hadn't allowed room for dating, other than that one date Sharpay had set her up on. She hadn't been interested in spending time with anyone new of the opposite sex...until now.

Now, there were three men she enjoyed spending time with. There was Ivan. They had clicked right from the first night when she'd met him. He was here on a similar mission. Both being writers, they could understand each other's passion and writing challenges. He was interesting to talk to and he seemed to care about her...her thoughts, her enjoyment of the trip so far, her well-being. But he also seemed to want to explore something more than friendship, and she didn't know how she felt about that.

There was John, but that was a more fatherly relationship. Still, she enjoyed his company as well.

And there was Troy. Against her better judgement, she had begun spending more time with him and she had enjoyed herself. He had been surprisingly great about just trying to become her friend, but she knew he'd likely be more than willing to be more than friendly with her if she were interested in that. But, she reasoned, Troy would be temporary fun, which she had never been about in the past, and she didn't know that it was what she was about now either. But the thought had crossed her mind tonight, surprising her.

She had emailed Taylor yesterday, telling her about her experiences thus far, particularly those with Ivan and Troy. Taylor had written back encouraging her to just let herself be open to whatever this trip brought. She understood Gabriella's hesitancy to trust any man and particularly Troy given what she'd seen of his behavior earlier on. But she pointed out that any man should be viewed only as themselves. It wasn't fair to automatically put men into the same category as Michael and then make them earn their distinction from him. And Gabriella should know that she completely deserved to explore something new, whether it was just friendship or more than friendship or just a fling. She just needed to approach whichever option knowingly and honestly.

Gabriella didn't have any answers, but she sensed that she would need to have some soon. Ivan seemed inclined to make a move if the opportunity presented itself. And, Troy...well, he was being respectful but the undercurrent was there. And, whether or not she wanted him to remain respectful was something she should definitely figure out. With much on her mind, she tossed and turned for a while. When she did finally fall asleep, Gabriella dreamed of being on an island...being served drinks by Troy...who wore only a towel.

* * *

Author's Note: Just call me Ms. Frustration. ;-) Okay, I know you want to know more about Michael and Katherine and I know you want to see Troy and Gabriella getting hot and heavy. (Me too!) Please hang tight. This is a month long tour for them and things are paced accordingly. That said, I can give you hope. I really can. :-) In the next few chapters, we'll learn some more about their unfortunate prior relationships, Gabriella will meet someone who will help shed a bit more light on Troy's true character, Troy will "meet" the girls back home, and, of course, they'll push the bounds of friendship...in a good way. ;-) Thanks for going on this journey with them, y'all!


	11. Chapter 11

**Escape to Love Chapter 11**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own "I Love Lucy" or any popular sayings from it. :) And, I should say this about any chapter probably...I like all kinds of music, so I'm not likely ever picking on any type. :)

**TOUR INFO:** Day 8 (I am going to start including this to help us all keep track of where they are in the duration of the tour, since it's not always a one day to one chapter ratio. Hope this helps!)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Note to self: Troy in a towel = good. Lol! I'm sure he'll sport that towel again sometime. ;-) Anyway, really glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Now, what to say about this one...um, I think there's definitely some stuff to be liked, but you may also yell at the phone or computer screen at some point too. Just fair warning. But stick with me here...it'll be okay (said in my most calming, reassuring voice)...you just might intermittently want to smack Gabriella (er, me?) for a little while. (But Troy can come make you a fruity drink and you'll feel much better...heh.)

* * *

"Nothing like the Devil's Tower first thing in the morning," Jennifer joked.

They were currently at Piazza della Cisterna, staring up at the mysterious tower as Troy explained its history to the group.

"The tower's name is tied to a legend. Purportedly, the tower's owner, upon returning from a trip, noticed that the tower was taller than when he'd left it. This miraculous event was immediately attributed to some diabolical intervention, hence the linking of the tower's name with the devil..."

The morning had started out fine. Gabriella had awoken to the sound of her alarm going off, a bit surprised by her remembrance of the dream she'd been having. She had gotten herself ready, thankfully managing not to anger her room in any way again, and had headed down to the dining room, where she'd spotted her friends and Troy sitting at the same table as last night, occupying the same seats as well.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Ivan had greeted when she'd approached the table and sat down next to him.

"Morning," she'd returned.

"We weren't sure if you were going to make it down in time," Ivan had joked.

"Oh, I felt pretty confident you would," Troy had put in.

"Why's that?" she had asked.

"Because you like breakfast," he'd answered simply, smiling at her, knowing that she'd gotten the reference to her comment last night.

She had enjoyed her breakfast. She had not particularly enjoyed the way Ivan and Troy had tried to one up each other throughout the meal's conversation. Well, maybe she had enjoyed it just a little. Following breakfast, the group had made their way to Piazza della Cisterna and examined the surrounding towers and the ancient well there. And now, Troy was speaking about the most famous of the square's towers.

"Looking up, you can see that there are several holes in the walls of the Devil's Tower. These received timbers that held galleries for people to walk outside from one room to another...much like balconies."

Troy's eyes scanned the crowd and stopped when they met hers. And again, Gabriella was taken back to last night. She averted her eyes, looking up at the tower. It did look rather sinister. Maybe its name was fitting.

Following the Piazza della Cisterna, the group walked through the Vicolo dell'Oro, a narrow alley leading to the Piazza Duomo. They explored the different buildings there, including the Collegiata, with its beautifully preserved frescoes of Old and New Testament scenes and the Torre Grossa, the largest remaining tower at 54 meters or 177 feet tall. Having climbed to the top of Torre Grossa, Gabriella was met with a spectacular view of the Tuscan countryside, as well as of the town and its ancient skyline. They arrived at the tower in time to witness the bell striking, near midday.

The group then disbanded for free time for the rest of the afternoon. Ivan made sure that Troy was otherwise occupied for lunch.

"Here he is, Bridget. Troy, Bridget's been looking for you...says you were planning on having lunch with she and her friends."

Troy bit the inside of his cheek and gave a slight nod to the other man, acknowledging the calculated move. He turned and offered Bridget a smile. He vaguely remembered chatting with the girls about doing lunch some time when he was at the bar last night, but he hadn't pinned it down to a specific time. Apparently, they had. Glancing over at Gabriella one more time, he trudged off to the restaurant Bridget indicated.

Gabriella noticed the undisguised satisfaction on Ivan's face. "Gabriella," he said, turning to face her, "would you care to join me for some more exploring and some lunch? The Ericksons are going to go to one of the restaurants they spotted back at Piazza della Cisterna, but I had a different idea in mind if you'd be up for it."

Gabriella looked over to see that the Ericksons were already moving in that direction, Jennifer looking back at her and shrugging as if to say "It's up to you." 'Well,' Gabriella thought, 'I need to figure out if there's anything here sooner versus later, so I guess here goes nothing.' "Sure," she answered Ivan, who looked more than pleased by that answer.

* * *

They walked the ancient streets of the town and ended up eating lunch near La Rocca, an ancient fortress that had once been the site of a castle, which now stood in ruins. Lunch went comfortably, with Ivan chatting with Gabriella about her story, her experiences at Modern Woman magazine and with Nancy, and about Chicago. He in turn talked about some of his writing assignments and also about New Haven, Connecticut, where he was from. Following lunch, they visited the adjacent wine museum and then made their way onto the grounds of La Rocca, which now contained a beautiful park, full of olive, fig, and cypress trees.

Stopping at one particular shaded spot to look out at the countryside view, Ivan brought up the subject of Troy.

"I don't want to overstep here, but are you sure you really want to be friends with him? I think your initial instincts may have been spot on. He looks at you like...well, I wouldn't let him within twenty feet of my kid sister, that's for sure."

Gabriella was half grateful for his concern and half amused by it. "Thank you for your concern, Ivan, but Troy and I just enjoy talking too and he has been respecting me. I know I didn't have the best view of him at the beginning of the week, but I've gotten to know him a little better and I realize he's not so bad. But I'll be careful. Don't worry."

Ivan accepted this, largely because he had no other choice. "I hope so...because I care about you."

Gabriella's eyes met with his. There it was. He seemed to be studying her. "Well, I...care about you too," she said uncertainly.

Ivan's lips curved into a small smile. "But I think I could grow to care about you a lot," he said in a low voice, holding her stare and reaching his hand out to cup the back of her head before leaning in and gently kissing her.

Lips. Nice lips. Nice kiss. Sweet. But those were the only words that came to mind as Ivan kissed her. Not bad words, she reasoned. And maybe the sparks she had felt with those she had loved in the past didn't mean too much considering how well those relationships had turned out. Hmm. Now what?

"Ivan...I..."

"You don't have to say anything now. I know we've only known each other a short time. I'm just saying that I would like to get to know you even better and I'd like to see if it could become more. So, just...think about it, okay?"

Gabriella didn't know what to do, so she just nodded. Ivan smiled and they resumed their walk through the rest of the grounds, talking minimally about the sites they'd seen that day.

* * *

Later that afternoon, wandering the cobbled streets on her own, she'd spotted bachelor number two, as she sardonically thought of him. He definitely wasn't a contender in the same way Ivan was. Ivan was offering to see if they could have a future, whereas Troy was...well, he wasn't directly offering anything but she knew the unspoken offer was there. An offer of pleasure...a dessert to help her understand an obsession with dessert.

"I see you've gotten away without having your clothes ripped to shreds," she said, approaching him at the small outdoor cafe table at which he sat.

Troy looked up, amused. "I'm not a Beatle."

"They probably don't know who the Beatles are. You're probably more like Kings of Leon or Justin Bieber to them."

"Well, those are two very different examples," Troy said, chuckling.

"Yeah, but you get the point," Gabriella responded with a grin.

"So, what about you? Ivan let you out of his sights? Did you slip him a roofie? Is he sleeping it off in some narrow alley?"

"Very funny," she replied, rolling her eyes. "He's off with The Ericksons at the Torture Museum."

"Oh, now you should really be concerned about him," Troy said, making a face of mock horror.

Gabriella laughed. "Anyway, that just wasn't at the top of my list of to dos."

"What is?"

'Who is?' is what he'd really wanted to ask...

Gabriella stared back at him for a moment sheepishly. "I don't know. I just know it's not something that involves torture devices."

It was Troy's turn to laugh. "Well, have a seat. I was just about to get a gelato."

Gabriella sat down across from him and ordered herself a gelato when the waiter came by to take their order. "How was your lunch, seriously?" she asked.

"High-pitched...seriously."

Gabriella giggled.

"What about yours?" he asked.

She filled him in on where she'd eaten and about the wine museum and La Rocca, leaving out, of course, the part where he'd been a topic of conversation and the part where she'd been kissed.

"Mmm," Troy said thoughtfully. "Good places."

"Yeah."

"Would you like to leave the city?"

"What? I doubt we have time for that."

"Okay, more like leave the inside of the city walls."

Gabriella looked back at him curiously. "Okay."

When the waiter returned, they paid for their gelatos and took them to go. They walked a short distance and then descended a steep hill, exiting the city walls through the Porta delle Fonti. In a charming corner just outside the wall, Gabriella saw an ancient structure with 10 stone arches. As they approached, she saw that these opened into stone basins. Troy told her that some of them had been around since the 12th century and that this place was called Fonti Medievali...simply, Medieval Fountains. He said this was where medieval townsfolk got water and did their laundry.

"Guess you created your own spin cycle back then," Gabriella joked, peering into the fountain basins and trying to imagine life in medieval times.

Troy laughed, taking in the structure himself. Sitting down on one of the fountain walls, they finished eating their gelato while chatting.

"So, do I take it from your laughter at my joke that you may have actually done a load of laundry or two before?" Gabriella asked, curious.

Troy made a face at her. "Of course I have."

"Sorry. I just wondered if you were by chance still taking your laundry to your mother or if you just paid someone to launder your clothes."

"What? You don't picture me separating my whites from my darks?"

"Not exactly."

"That's rather insulting, Montez. I think I have to splash you now."

Gabriella rose from the wall cautiously, glancing down at Troy and then the water in the basin and then back at Troy. "I really don't think you do."

A devilish grin took over Troy's face. Setting his empty gelato cup down, he rose as well. "Oh, but I do." And with that, he reached into the basin behind him and cupped some water in his hands. Seeing him do so, Gabriella started to back away, changing her tactic a moment later and just turning and starting to run away from him...he was fast.

"Ahhhh!" she gasped. Despite the warm day, the fountains maintained shade and the water was freezing. Retaliation being foremost in her mind, she skirted around Troy, who was laughing at her reaction and dipped her hands into another one of the basins. Troy dodged her as she moved closer to him, being fairly cocky about it until, not paying attention, he ran into a nearby trash receptacle, which distracted him just long enough for Gabriella to fling the water from her hands at his face and chest. They both stood there laughing until a few older women walked by, eyeing them censoriously.

Composing themselves, they retrieved and discarded their gelato containers and started their walk back toward the hotel. "In any event, I'm more domestic than you think," Troy said, picking up their conversation where they'd left off. "I do laundry. I cook. I...hire a maid service to clean."

"Aha!"

"Give me a break. They do a much better job of it than I would."

Gabriella smiled. "There's nothing wrong with a maid service. It's just fun picking on you."

"So, the truth comes out," Troy said with mirth.

Gabriella shook her head at him. "So, do you live in an apartment?"

"Yep. You?"

"Same. It's easier right now."

Troy nodded his understanding. He thought about a time when a house had seemed quite appealing though...

_"So, what's the big news?" she asked, looking at him with those naturally seductive green eyes of hers._

_He grinned at her, excited to share what he had learned. "I found us a house."_

_"You what?"_

_"It's a beautiful, little country house and it's minutes from your parents' home."_

_"But we have our apartment here."_

_"I know, Katherine, but I thought we had talked about moving back to Montalcino and being close to the vineyard."_

_Katherine stared at him for a moment, making him feel nervous the same way she had done since he'd first met her. Then, her lips curved upward slowly. "Darling, you are so sweet to think of the things we had talked about before. But, I think it's important for you to continue the work you do here. You make such a difference. You inspire so many."_

_"But Katherine, I do plan to continue to teach. We can have the best of both worlds. I just thought you'd be more excited about the house, getting to fix it up just as you desire and having our families over...things like that."_

_"Troy, I am excited. If you say we can have both, and you can fulfill your destiny here too, or wherever else your career leads you, then of course I'm excited. I just don't want to be selfish and take you away from here or hold you back from your bright future."_

Selfish is exactly what she'd wanted to be. He didn't realize it at the time. He'd bought the house and with some prodding, she'd helped him make some decisions for it, but it never really became the labor of love for her that he thought it would. She'd stuck mostly to their apartment in Milan. He'd thought she was being devoted to him. He'd been such a fool.

"Do you like living in Chicago?" Troy asked, bringing himself back to the present.

"Yes, I do. There's so much to do. There's a lot of culture, a great diversity of people, beautiful spots like the lake and river and different parks, and great food. It's a thriving city but with a real down-to-earth feel and friendly people. We have great architecture. It's a really clean city..."

"It has Oprah," Troy contributed with an amused smile.

Gabriella returned the smile. "And there's that, yes. I don't know. It's a fun city."

"I believe you. I was only there for a weekend several years back but it seemed like everything you've said, a really nice, really cool city."

"Definitely. Why were you in Chicago? Vacationing?"

"Apprenticing."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I was just starting out with photography, I met a great photographer, Lief Adamson, and he kind of took me under his wing. He was working on a book showcasing America in all its diversity. He needed an assistant. I traveled with him, helped, and learned a ton."

"Wow, that's awesome, Troy. How did you meet him?"

"I was out one morning before dawn, attempting to capture some great landscape photos at Yosemite. I was interested in photography on more of a hobbyist level then. He was there too and we just got to talking. It was really good fortune for me."

"I guess so. Is that what you specialize in now? Landscape photography?"

"Umm, well, I've kind of done a variety, so I can teach different styles."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah."

Gabriella glanced over at Troy and then forward again, wondering if she was imagining it or if Troy was kind of shutting down on the subject of his photography experience. She suspected so when he changed the subject a moment later.

"Are you ready for the festival tonight?"

"I guess...I mean, we can just go check out the festivities on the streets, right?"

"Well, thank you for the invitation, Montez. I'd love to."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him half-heartedly, the curve of her lips making it clear she didn't dislike the comment. "Answer the question."

Troy grinned. "Yes, you can just walk around, but if you wanted to, you could also dress up. The hotel rents costumes out."

"Hmm. Are you renting a costume?"

"Maybe...probably...the whole tour guide being in the spirit of things thing."

"I wonder who all from our group will dress up."

"I don't know. But you should consider it, if for nothing else than to make sure I don't feel like the odd man out," Troy joked.

Gabriella laughed. "We'll see," she said, a sparkle in her eyes. Truth be told, the Medieval Festival sounded like a lot of fun and she thought that putting on a dress from the era could be fun as well. She'd have to check out the costumes the hotel had to offer.

Troy studied her out of the corner of his eye. He had so much fun talking with her. He felt hesitant telling her more about his photography experience. It seemed like her interest was genuine and innocent but he just wasn't sure if he wanted to go there.

"How far are we from the hotel?"

"It's just a left turn up here and then it's about a block down."

"Okay. I have some stuff I need to get done before the festival and such."

"Costume stuff?"

"Maybe..."

"Fine, I'll stop trying to convince you. It's not like you owe me or anything..."

"Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"Stop while you're ahead."

"Okay," he said, pursing his lips and trying to keep from smiling triumphantly. "Ahead" sounded very promising.

They soon approached the hotel and, once inside, they inquired with the front desk about costumes. They were instructed that the men's costumes were being stored in one room and the women's in the other. They said their goodbyes until later and followed two respective hotel employees in different directions. They were each taken to a room of costumes and were able to try some on and choose. Following this, Troy was waylaid by some of the tour members who wanted him to direct them to a gelateria. Gabriella, on the other hand, went directly to her room after.

* * *

Entering her room, she looked at the clock...4:30. She had arranged to Skype with the girls at 5pm her time, 10am theirs. They were going to gather at Taylor's place to do so. Gabriella hung her costume in her closet, retrieved her laptop from the safe in there and pulled the closet door shut. She set the laptop up on the desk and booted it up, taking some time to scan her emails and to jot down a few notes about today's adventures thus far. Then, seeing that it was now 5, she opened up Skype and waited to see Taylor come online.

Ring. Ring.

Gabriella answered the incoming video call.

"Hey Signorina!"

Gabriella grinned."Hey Tay...Kels...Shar!"

"So, how very horrible is Italy today?" Taylor asked sarcastically.

"Italy today is only moderately horrible. Nah, just kidding, of course. It's good. Interesting."

"And you're in San Gimignano now?" Kelsi asked.

"Yep."

Gabriella filled them in a bit about the sights she had seen since her last emails to them.

"It all sounds so amazing, Gabs," Kelsi remarked.

"It definitely is. Thank you guys so much for sending me here. I'll always remember it."

"You're welcome, Gab. You deserve it," Taylor answered with agreement from the others.

"So, Gabs, you've told us about the sights. Now, tell us about the sights!" Sharpay said eagerly.

Gabriella rolled her eyes good-naturally at her friend but took a breath and prepared herself to tell them about her day...the other parts of it.

"Well, it's Italy. There are plenty of those types of sights too," she said with humor, referring to attractive men she'd seen in her travels so far. "I've snapped a few sneaky pictures for you."

"Fabulous, but what about the sights I've been hearing you've been seeing every day?" Sharpay continued.

Gabriella looked at Taylor. "Have you filled them in on the latest I told you?"

"The basics."

"Okay, cool. Well, I have a new development as of today, so I guess I'll just dive right into that."

"Dive away." Kelsi and Sharpay encouraged.

Gabriella paused and then just blurted it out. "Ivan kissed me."

"What?" "When?" "Score! How was it?"

Gabriella couldn't help but smile at her friends' barrage of questions. She filled them in on the details of her lunch hours with Ivan.

"Soooo?" Sharpay asked impatiently.

"It was nice."

"Just nice?" Kelsi asked gently.

"There's nothing wrong with nice," Gabriella defended.

"So, he's a good kisser?" Taylor asked.

"Sure."

She watched as her friends all gave each other looks.

"Guys, stop reading into my words too much."

"Gabs, it's just that you seem to have all the excitement about the kiss as you would about a sweater your parents bought you," Sharpay explained, a hint of distaste in her voice thinking about some of the questionable items (in her opinion, at least) that Gabi's parents had given to her over the years, despite her gentle requests for gift cards instead.

"A kiss is a kiss is a kiss."

"No, it's not, Gabs. You know it's not," Sharpay countered quickly.

"I don't know anything. I think that's abundantly clear from my track record."

"You're too hard on yourself..." Kelsi protested.

"And your track record's not all bad," Taylor reminded.

Gabriella conceded that point. "I'm just saying that a nice kiss is not a bad thing. What if it's something that's even better as we get to know each other or what if it means something better in terms of him being a more dependable type of guy? What if I've been fooled by the physical chemistry stuff in the past?"

"Gabi, there is such a thing as both. There really is," Taylor assured.

"Maybe."

Gabriella's mind drifted back to her first kiss with Michael. It had been their first date. He'd taken her ice skating. They'd been playing around on the ice, having fun and they'd collided with each other. Holding onto each other so that they didn't fall, their eyes had met, their laughter had stopped, and he'd leaned in. It had been a perfect kiss by romantic comedy movie standards. She'd thought he might be the last man she might ever kiss... Well, at least now that wasn't the case.

"So, tell us about the other guy...Troy, right?" Sharpay urged.

"Troy's...well, attractive, certainly...he's fun...pretty easy to hang out with...really intelligent...funny...interesting. He teaches photography at Universities and workshops here. He seems passionate about it and pretty talented. He's just helping his parents out leading this tour, though he's really good at the tour guide thing too."

She noticed the girls were all smiling back at her.

"Yeah, but he's also honest about the fact that he's only interested in fun, not anything more. And he's been demonstrating that with some of the others on the tour."

"But you said he's been taking you places one on one and has been respectful and charming," Taylor put in.

"Yeah."

"And he's only taking you?" Kelsi asked.

"I think so."

"And you said he seemed like he was less interested in the girls than at the beginning?" Taylor reminded.

"I think...maybe..."

"Well, you know what I think, Gabs?" Sharpay asked, a sly grin on her face.

"That there's nothing wrong with fun?"

"Well, that too, definitely."

"Do I want to know what else?"

Sharpay scoffed at the question. "You need to comparison shop."

"What?"

"Don't be thick, Gabi."

"Shar..."

"Troy obviously likes you in one way or another. He likes to have fun. Kissing's fun. Kiss him. Compare and contrast. Take notes. Call us and share."

"You make it sound simple."

"Isn't it?"

The question hung in the air for a second and then Gabriella heard a knock. It was too close to be the main room door. Realization dawned. She looked to her right and saw his shadow on the other side of the curtained glass door.

"What is it, Gab?" Kelsi asked, noticing her friend's reaction.

She returned her attention to the screen, suddenly nervous. "Umm...it's Troy."

"Oh yeah. Turn the screen. We want to say hi," Sharpay instructed matter-of-factly.

"Yeah. That's what worries me. Okay. Just...behave! Please!" she implored them, making eye contact with each of her friends and lingering a second longer as she looked at Sharpay warningly. Then, she got up and walked over to the door, peeking out to shoot Troy a smile before pulling it open. She didn't bother to give him a hard time about using the balcony door versus the main door because, she realized, it didn't really bother her that he was using the balcony.

"Hey! Sorry...if you have Jen and Jo here, I can bug you later," Troy said, having thought he'd heard a few voices as he stood outside the door.

"Oh...no, it's my friends from back home. We're Skyping."

"Oh, good stuff. Sorry to interrupt."

"It's okay. Come on in. I was telling them about the town and the tour so far. I'm sure they'd like to meet my knowledgeable guide."

Troy looked at her curiously, but entered the room as she stood back to allow him to do so.

Gabriella shut the door to avoid glare on the computer screen and then walked over so that she was standing in front of the laptop screen. She smiled back at Troy uncertainly and he moved to stand next to her.

"So, girls...this is Troy Bolton. He's my, um, tour guide extraordinaire."

Troy glanced over at Gabriella, taking in her nervous posture and, if he wasn't mistaken, a slight rosiness to those perfect cheeks of hers. His lips curved upward at her complimentary description.

"Troy, these are my friends back in Chicago, Taylor, Kelsi, and Sharpay," she introduced, pointing to each woman as she said her name.

Troy nodded his head at each as Gabriella said their names and then said "It's a pleasure to meet you, ladies."

"You too, Troy," they responded. He noted the looks of appraisal on their faces.

"It sounds like Gabriella's having a great time so far and like you're really helping to make sure of that, so thank you," Taylor said.

"Oh, sure...well, I definitely hope so," Troy said, looking over at Gabriella with a smile. "She's...a lot of fun to have on the tour. She's my, um, tour _member_ extraordinaire."

On the Chicago end, the girls observed the way Troy looked at Gabriella and vice versa as they complimented each other. There was definitely some kind of connection and attraction there. It was obvious from thousands of miles away; they wondered if it was obvious to the two standing in the small Italian hotel room.

"Oh, she's a keeper, that one," Taylor remarked, causing Gabriella to look back at her admonishingly.

The other girls nodded their agreement. "And it sounds like we picked the right tour for her," Kelsi added. "You never know. I mean, it sounded great on paper, but I guess you always take your chances."

"Oh, do you all work at the magazine too?"

"Oh, no. I work at the Chicago Center School of Music composing for the teen musical theater programs, Taylor's a lawyer with McDermott Will & Emory, and Sharpay's an accomplished actress in a number of Chicago's finest theaters."

"Oh, wow. You all sound like you have amazing careers. That's great."

"Thanks!" Kelsi responded.

"We're happy with them," Taylor put in.

"My career's definitely been amazing so far," Sharpay agreed in Sharpay fashion.

"Cool. Yeah, I just thought that the magazine would have arranged the trip since they were sending Gabriella here to do this story."

The girls looked at Gabriella to see that she was quickly and tightly shaking her head "no" at them. Sharpay ignored this, however, and responded.

"Well, my aunt...that's Gabi's editor, was all over the story possibility with the trip, but we totally arranged it as a birthday gift for our girl."

"That's some gift," Troy remarked, surprised.

"Well..."

Gabriella shot Sharpay the most menacing look she could manage. Sharpay only smirked. "...she's some friend," she finished, raising her eyebrows briefly at Gabriella in return.

"I'm learning that," Troy said, discreetly studying the interactions between Gabriella and her friends. There was something else to this story. "It's too bad you all couldn't join her here."

"It is," Sharpay said, pausing with a defiant tilt of her head, "but we just wanted her to have a chance to...focus on herself for a while."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gabriella narrow her eyes at her blond-haired friend.

"We miss her like crazy," Kelsi added, "don't get us wrong. But she totally deserves this getaway."

"Because...she works hard and she's always wanted to see Italy...and now it's a fantastic career move too," Taylor finished, trying to tidy up the conversation with no mention of heartbreak or healing.

"Well, I guess, thanks to you three for sending her then."

"Oh, you're welcome," Sharpay responded, using a meaningful tone.

Gabriella cleared her throat. "So, um, Troy, what did you need? We don't mean to keep you from anything. Just thought I'd introduce you since you were here."

Troy looked at Gabriella and then glanced back at her friends, considering. "Well, I was kind of..."

Gabriella nodded encouragingly for him to go on. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk with him, but she wasn't sure she wanted her friends to keep talking to him right now, so she figured it'd be best to help him with whatever and say goodbye to him till later.

"...um, wondering if you still needed...the robe."

Three sets of eyes grew a bit bigger on the screen. In the room, one set of chocolate ones did also. Her mouth formed an "o."

"It's not that I need it right now. I mean, I could get it back in the morning if that's easier. I just didn't want the hotel to think I took it and charge me for it once we've left. I was just thinking of it now and thought I'd ask, but it can totally wait." In truth, Troy didn't really care if he was charged for it or not. He just thought it was a convenient excuse to check in on her again and figure out a plan for this evening.

"No, no, that's okay," Gabriella replied, hoping his explanation was accurate. Though she shouldn't care, she didn't want to think about any other woman wearing that robe tonight. She reasoned, however, that a robe wouldn't really be necessary if what she were imagining happened, so his explanation was likely the truth. She walked swiftly over to her bathroom, where she'd hung the robe up last night. Retrieving it, she walked back over and handed it to him.

"My...lending your robe, visiting via balcony door...you're unlike any other tour guide I've ever had," Taylor commented.

"Yeah, I think we've been on the wrong tours," Kelsi said teasingly.

They both earned reproving looks from their raven-haired friend.

"It's...I blew a fuse and...I was only wearing a towel and...I'll explain later."

Troy's lips twitched with humor. She was so very cute when she was uncomfortable. He contemplated making her more so, but decided against it. He was hoping to spend time with her more this evening and didn't want to upset her in the meantime. He waited for her eyes to meet back up with his. "Thank you," he said softly when they did. He held her gaze for another moment and then turned his attention back to her friends. "It was great meeting you all. It'd be great to see you on one of our tours in the future. I should probably head back out. I have to go attempt to transform myself into a medieval gentleman before tonight."

"Part of the tour service?" Taylor asked, mirth in her voice.

"Sort of. There's a medieval festival tonight and if I take the plunge and look a bit silly, maybe my tour group will as well," Troy explained. And then, he couldn't resist adding, "Maybe Gabriella will show you her costume. I bet whatever it is will look great."

Gabriella pursed her lips and shook her head at him, holding back a laugh at his persistence. "Maybe I will," she said, her eyes sparkling. "But you should go see to your own, like you said."

Troy held back his own chuckle at her response. "Okay, okay. Goodbye, Taylor, Kelsi, and Sharpay."

"Goodbye!"

"Nice to meet you!"

"Make sure she uses the stuff I packed for her, Troy."

"Um, sure, okay." That one threw him a bit but he wondered what Sharpay had meant by it. Gabriella had scowled at her, so it made him even more curious to know.

"Bye!"

Gabriella walked him over to the balcony door. "Thanks. They're..."

"Great...obviously...they sent you here," Troy finished for her.

"Well...yeah...very true," she said, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Okay, well, I'll see you in a bit then?" Troy asked hopefully.

Gabriella's smile widened further. "Sure. What time does this thing get started?"

"In about a half hour."

"Oh, wow."

"But it goes on for hours, so if you need more time, that's fine. Just, um, come on out to your balcony when you're ready and we can head down together."

"Okay. Sure. See you then."

"See you then," Troy said with a smile, stepping back over to his own balcony and waving before disappearing into his room.

Gabriella shut the door and took a deep breath before approaching her laptop once more.

"Oh, Lucy, you have some splainin' to do," Taylor joked.

"Yeah, I'm thinking start with the robe," Sharpay added.

"I don't know...the balcony's pretty interesting too," Kelsi contributed.

Sighing, Gabriella explained what happened the night before.

"And the balcony's just...I don't know...our thing now, I guess. It's convenient."

"I'll say," Sharpay remarked, insinuation in her tone.

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh, I know. But it could be. You said you liked the looks of him in that towel. You were tempted."

"Shar, my womanly needs are fine!"

"Sure they are," Sharpay replied with sarcasm.

"Hey, Gabs, we'll let you off the hook for now. Sounds like you have some medieval fun to get to," Taylor intervened.

"Oh, do we get to see the costume?" Kelsi asked

Gabriella smiled at this and retrieved the dress from the closet, showing them and getting three thumbs up for her choice.

"Well, have fun tonight...in whatever way you choose to," Kelsi said.

"Thanks!"

"You know I love you, Gab."

"I know, Shar."

"Can I just say one more thing?"

Gabriella bit her lip and then gave a small smile. "You will anyway."

"Comparison shop, Gabi. Comparison shop. And Troy seems like a prime candidate to me."

"Um, yeah, I think 'attractive, certainly' didn't really do him justice," Kelsi remarked, fanning herself with her hand dramatically and making Gabriella laugh.

"I think 'hot' is the word she was looking for," Sharpay added.

"Yeah, I have to agree with both of them on this one."

"Really, Tay?"

"I know...crazy, huh?"

"Hey!" came two exclamations of protest.

"But, yes. We haven't met Ivan of course but you and Troy...well, there's something there. I'm not saying it's profound. Maybe it's friendship. Maybe it's fun...and you _are_ allowed to have fun. Who knows? But just consider it. It's time to move on, okay? Enjoy yourself. Keep us updated. You know we support you no matter what."

Gabriella took all this in. "Okay, I'll...think about what you guys have said. That's all I can promise, but I'll do that."

"Fair enough."

"That's all we ask."

"Have a great night, Gabi!"

"Write again soon!"

"Let's Skype again soon too."

"Okay, sounds good. Bye, girls!"

"Bye, Gabs!"

Gabriella closed out the Skype application and closed the laptop. She locked it up in the safe once more and then sat down on her bed, looking at her costume that she'd laid there. She wondered what tonight would be like. She wondered if Ivan would want to kiss her again. She wondered if she'd want him to. She wondered if she'd actually spend any time with Troy or if he'd be swept off by others or if she would. And then, she took a moment to wonder about what her friends had said...and she wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

* * *

After returning to his room, Troy had gotten dressed in his costume, while thinking about his brief time spent meeting Gabriella's friends. He wondered what they'd thought of him, though it shouldn't matter one way or another to him. He'd probably never see them again. Still, he hoped he'd made a good impression. And, he wondered what she had told them about him. The conversation had clued him in to something too. There was something else that had led to her being here, something Gabriella didn't really want to elaborate on and hadn't wanted her friends to speak more about. He wondered if it had something to do with this jerk who had hurt her. Whatever it had to do with, there was no denying one thing. He was glad she was here.


	12. Chapter 12

**Escape to Love Chapter 12**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**TOUR INFO:** Still Day 8 - evening

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Well, the Ivan kiss backlash was not too bad. Good, good. Something ever so much more than "nice" is awaiting Gabriella anyway. ;-) As always, thanks again for your reviews! Apologies if I didn't have a chance to respond, but I did figure that posting this chapter and working diligently on the next might be the best response. :-) So, for this chapter, if you're trying to picture Troy and Gabriella's costumes, they're essentially based on what Z & V wore in the Disney's Sleeping Beauty-themed photo they did a few years ago (just go to Google or whatever search engine and type in "annie leibovitz sleeping beauty") and you'll find it. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Around 7pm, Troy heard the sound of Gabriella's balcony door sliding open. Standing up, he walked over to his own door, quietly sliding his curtain aside to peer out at her. She was standing there looking out toward the Tuscan hillside. Their rooms were on the side of the hotel facing the countryside as opposed to the town streets. She appeared to be wearing a dark rose silk gown with a lighter rose floral pattern subtly enhancing the fabric. Her sleeves were long, partly fitted to her arms and partly in the long, flared style popular for the time period. There was a gold band of fabric surrounding each of her upper arms and forming a low belt, at a level around the bottom of her stomach. She wore sparkling gold flats on her feet and her hair hung loose and curly down her back.

Troy let the curtain drop back into place, opened his door and stepped outside. She turned when she heard him. If he thought she'd looked beautiful in profile, the image that was now facing him was utterly bewitching. There was a white, lacy ruffle of material that adorned the top of the dress, tapering down into a sweetheart neckline above the line of the rose silk, which ran horizontally across her bosom. The effect was both modest and alluring.

Troy realized he was just standing there staring at her. He cleared his throat and then spoke. "You look...radiant."

Gabriella smiled back at him. She had loved the look of the dress but didn't know if she did it justice. It was nice to hear Troy's assessment. She took in his appearance. He was wearing a sapphire blue velvet nobleman's coat over a fancy white dress shirt with lace extending his shirt sleeves past those of his coat. The coat was trimmed in a pale gold and his well-fitted pants were of a slightly darker blue than his coat and disappeared into mid-calf height black leather boots. He looked...straight out of a fairy tale.

"Thank you. You look kind of dashing."

A handsome smile lit up Troy's face. "Thank you. Are you ready to head out to the festivities?"

"Yes."

Minutes later, having exited through their own respective doors and met up in the hallway, Troy and Gabriella found themselves downstairs in the hotel lobby. The hotel had set up a photo station and the photographer working it ushered them hastily over to it, taking several photos of them posed in front of a fake landscape scene.

He seemed to believe they were a couple and given his haste, neither bothered to correct him. After having them sign a sheet and pay a nominal fee, he let them know the photos would be delivered to their rooms later.

As they were exiting the hotel, they met up with Ivan and the Ericksons, who were returning from their touring.

"Gabriella, I didn't know you wanted to dress up for tonight," Ivan said, taking in her appearance as well as Troy's.

"I didn't either. I didn't know we could until I ran into Troy and learned that the hotel was renting out costumes."

"Ooh, they are?" Jennifer asked excitedly.

"Yeah. If you let them know you want one at the front desk, they'll get you set up," Gabriella answered.

"Awesome. I don't know about you guys," she said to her family and Ivan, "but I'm heading to the front desk. See you lovely medieval folk later," she called back to Troy and Gabriella as she headed back into the hotel, causing those two to grin as they waved and watched her go.

Johanna and John smiled after her too, looked at each other and shrugged, and then headed in the same direction.

Ivan continued to stand there looking from Gabriella to Troy and back, seeming to try to evaluate the situation.

"So, what type of costume would you like me in, Gabriella?" he asked, smiling at her hopefully.

"Oh, um...I don't know. You'd probably look great in any of them. I didn't see the men's offerings. Troy, what different kinds are there?"

"There are a variety, covering all the different centuries and the clothing choices for them. I'm sure they'll be able to help you out," Troy said shortly, not terribly interested in helping the other man. His costume choice had been pretty easy. The man assisting him had left him for several moments and had then come back, saying this was one that complemented "the signorina's" outfit well. Troy had accepted it because 1) he didn't really feel like spending much time there and trying on different outfits and 2) the idea of looking like he should be standing next to Gabriella appealed to him for some reason...

"I hope so," Ivan responded, pausing before adding, "I'm not sure if I'd be able to pull off an outfit as..._fancy_ as yours."

Troy noted the jab. "Well, if you're not sure how noble or princely you could be, there are always other costumes. There were a lot of tunics of different sizes. Plenty of vests and tights too."

"Again, you might be able to pull those off better than me."

"Well, there was an executioner's outfit too. I hear you might be into that kind of thing," Troy said evenly, referencing the other man's outing that afternoon.

Gabriella viewed the back and forth between the men and decided to intervene. "Why don't you just go see what they still have available, Ivan?" she said, placing her hand on his arm to get his attention and re-focus him on heading into the hotel. "I'm sure you'll find something that works and if you don't or you don't want to wear a costume, that's fine too."

Ivan brought his attention back to Gabriella, staring down at her hand on his arm, a triumphant smile curving his lips. "You're right. I don't want you to have to wait on me even longer. I'll go do that now," he said shooting a warning glance in Troy's direction, which Troy found utterly amusing.

"We'll see you later," Troy couldn't resist calling after him as he turned to walk into the hotel.

Ivan turned back to see if he had heard correctly. "We're going to go check out the booths and such a while. See you over there," Gabriella explained, smiling at him.

In the face of that smile, all Ivan could do was return it and head into the hotel begrudgingly.

Troy tried to keep his grin in check. He looked down at the beautiful woman next to him and held out his left arm in front of her. "Shall we, milady?"

Gabriella shook her head at him, amused. "And the cheese overflows," she remarked, teasing him. After a moment of hesitation, she linked her arm with his, letting her right hand rest on his left arm.

Troy's smile in return was nothing less than charming. "I think you like it more than you think you do."

Gabriella studied him for a moment. She certainly didn't dislike it in this context. "I think you should start walking."

Troy laughed and did just that, leading her down the cobbled street toward the sounds of the crowds beginning to enjoy the festivities. As they walked on, they saw and heard street musicians playing their instruments and singing for those who'd listen. They also saw jesters, jugglers, and acrobats putting on various impromptu performances in the streets. They stopped at various stalls and Troy explained that these displayed mestieri, or handicrafts, of the time. They saw leather goods, wooden carvings, silk stringing, cloth making, and alabaster items. They also came upon vendors, one after the other, selling foods, such as pecorino cheeses, stuffed pig's stomach (fegatelli di maiale), fish stews, and various breads. Gabriella and Troy opted for some ribollita (hearty vegetable soup) in bread bowls, which they ate while watching some townsmen display their crossbow skills. They next sampled some Schiacciata (pork crackling and olive oil on flat bread) and some Pan di Ramerino (herb bread seasoned with rosemary).

"Oh, my word, I'm stuffed," Gabriella lamented, putting her hand to her stomach, which looked as perfectly flat as ever to Troy.

"For now."

"No, for the night."

"We'll see," Troy said, tilting his head toward a stall displaying regional desserts like panforte, ricciarelli, and cavallucci.

Despite her fullness, Gabriella's mouth began to water at the sight of the baked goodies containing honey, fruits, and nuts. "Alright, maybe in a little bit," she conceded.

"Okay," Troy said with a chuckle.

At that moment, they heard the sound of drums starting up not too far away. "What's happening?" Gabriella asked.

"That'll likely be the beginning of the parade," Troy explained, leading them to a spot along the side of the street. Gabriella noticed most of the crowd was also moving to one side or the other, clearing away from the center. As she looked around, she also noticed that her friends were there, finishing eating some items from other stalls and looking around as well. Jennifer spotted her first and waved happily. Gabriella smiled and waved back. The others noticed then and minutes later, they had run across the street and joined Troy and Gabriella.

"Nice cape, dude," Troy remarked, seeing Ivan's costume, which was that of a knight with the rough wool and fake chain mail covering his arms and legs with a crimson (bordering on fuschia if you asked Troy) and gold tunic and a bright green and gold cape with brown leather boots.

Ivan narrowed his eyes at the other man and then directed his attention to Gabriella. "I had thought more of the whole knight in shining armor look, but there wasn't really any shining armor to be had."

Gabriella gave him a sympathetic smile. "You look very knightly nonetheless."

"Why, thank you," he replied happily.

She took in her other friends' costumes as well at that point. John was wearing a simple long, belted tunic with a hat that kind of wrapped around his head. Jennifer was wearing a red and gold gown, closer in style to the Renaissance era. Johanna was wearing a beautiful green gown of a similar style to Gabriella's.

They all chatted for another moment or two before they began to see groups dressed in medieval garb walking down the street, playing horns and drums, followed by men, also dressed as knights, riding horses. The procession stopped in front of them and some things were said in Italian and applause rose up from the crowd.

"That was the blessing of the knights," Troy explained. "They'll ride in an exhibition joust later this evening."

"Oh, wow," Johanna remarked.

"Very cool," Jennifer said excitedly.

The man who seemed to be leading the festivities at this point began saying more in Italian and then he began walking around the crowd, smiling at various women and continuing his walk. Minutes later, he stopped in front of Gabriella. Gabriella wasn't certain what he was looking for exactly, but she offered him a smile.

"Ah, magnifico" he said with a confident nod, his smile growing bigger. "Parli italiano, signorina?" (Do you speak Italian, Miss?)

"Solo un poco," (Just a little) she answered, glad she had learned a few phrases from the book Taylor had given her.

"Eh, nessun fastidio," (Eh, no bother) he answered. "Ti piace il festival?"

Gabriella looked to Troy for help. "Are you enjoying the festival?" he translated.

"Oh, si," she answered, smiling again at the man and nodding.

Once again, he returned the favor. "Buona. Ti piace ballare?"

Gabriella looked to Troy again. "Good. Do you like to dance?" he translated.

"Si," she answered again. She did like dancing. She figured the kindly man was just going to tell her there'd be dancing that evening and she should enjoy herself or something along those lines. But then a woman came to stand next to the man and seemed to be looking her over from head to toe.

"E 'perfetta," the woman exclaimed after a few moments, smiling broadly at Gabriella. Gabriella guessed she approved.

"Perfect," Troy said, confirming that approval. Troy rather agreed with the assessment.

"Grazie," Gabriella said, thanking the woman for the compliment. The woman just smiled at her and then reached out and took her hand, tugging on it gently. "Oh," Gabriella exclaimed looking back at Troy and her friends questioningly.

"Ci limiteremo a prendere in prestito il suo," the woman said to Troy and the others. (We'll just borrow her.)

"It's okay," Troy assured her. "They just want to borrow you."

"Borrow me? What?" Gabriella said as she was being pulled away.

Troy grinned and held his arm out in an encouraging manner. Even Ivan shrugged and grinned, seeming in agreement that she should go and see where they led her. John shrugged and Johanna and Jennifer made circular backhand movements as if to shoo her along. Figuring she might as well just go with it and have fun, Gabriella smiled at the couple who was leading her toward the center of the piazza ahead of them. They stopped toward the center of it and Gabriella looked expectantly at the woman and man. "Just stand here and smile at the crowd," the woman instructed. Gabriella looked over at her with surprise. "You speak English?" The woman just gave her a sly smile. Feeling confused and uncertain, Gabriella looked out at the crowd and tried to smile. She noticed that much of the crowd from down the street had moved into the piazza and she was surrounded by a lot of people. Her only comfort right now was that among those people were five she knew would look out for her.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!"

"He speaks English too?" she whispered harshly to the woman standing next to her, who only gave her a quick nod and then looked out into the crowd once more. The man repeated himself in Italian, seeming comfortable addressing the crowd in both languages.

"Welcome! We have a special treat for you tonight. We will have much dancing this fine evening but before we can get to that, we will have a lively competition for you."

Gabriella was not sure she liked the sound of this.

"Ten lucky gentlemen of the signorina's choosing will compete for the chance to lead the first dance with her."

"What?" Gabriella whispered to the woman. "But I don't know any of the dances. Maybe someone else would be better."

"Shh, shh...we teach you," the woman responded, not concerned.

'Great,' Gabriella thought.

"So, knights, noblemen, and peasants alike, if you are up to the challenge, step forward for the signorina's inspection."

'Oh, shit, shit, shit,' Gabriella cursed inwardly. Before her, a good number of men were stepping out into the piazza, coming to stand in front of where she and the man and woman were standing. She looked from face to face until her eyes stopped when she found three she recognized well: Troy, Ivan, and John. 'Oh, thank God. At least they can be part of this too.'

Once all the apparently interested men had come forward, Gabriella was instructed to walk amongst them and choose ten. 'Oh, Shar, Kels, and Tay would love this,' she thought, as she began to walk along the first row of men. Hearing shouts of "choose carefully, Gabriella!" and "woohoo, Gabriella!" from two familiar female voices nearby, she gathered that Johanna and Jennifer were pretty amused themselves. Oh, someone owed her a drink...or ten...when all this was done.

As she came to Troy, Ivan, and John, she noticed that they were giving her varying looks. Troy was smirking at her. Ivan was giving her a lopsided smile, while concurrently shooting sideways glances of displeasure at Troy, obviously not pleased that the other man was also up here to compete. John shrugged, giving her a reassuring and sympathetic smile and she suspected Jenny and Jo had urged him to come be another friendly face up here for her. As to her reaction to the three guys, she narrowed her eyes at the first, giving him her best 'oh, I'll get you back for this' look and shot a helpless smile at the other two. Accepting her fate in this crazy evening, she made a show of eyeing them up and down, inspecting these would-be competitors before indicating that she was choosing them.

Gabriella walked among the other gathered men, trying to smile kindly at them all, and chose seven more who looked like they might be nice enough to dance with if they ended up winning instead of one of her guys. "Buona," the woman said, apparently approving of her choices.

The man next announced that the first competition would involve archery. Whichever men got the lowest scores would be dropped from the competition. The crowd moved toward a corner of the piazza where several targets had been set up, the men were given bows and arrows, and each was given a chance to shoot five arrows. Troy, Ivan, and John all did quite well and thus would advance to the second round of competition. Two other men joined them.

These five men were challenged to run from one end of the piazza to the other while rolling an empty barrel in front of them. As it turned out, Troy and Ivan proved the most agile of the five men, so they were the finalists and would move on to the final round of the competition, a one-on-one tug of war.

Gabriella watched the whole competition unfold in kind of a fog of denial. She had been pleased that all three of the men she knew had advanced through the first round and she had been even more pleased to see that Troy and Ivan were the finalists. But now, as she watched them eye each other menacingly as they took their places on either side of a line taped down to the cobblestones, she wondered if this was really a good thing. It might have been a much more harmonious ending if she was just to do one dance with a stranger and that was the end of it. But, too late now. She was just the one who was supposed to smile at the crowd.

She watched as Troy and Ivan took up their respective ends of the rope and braced themselves awaiting the start of their final challenge. The whole crowd waited eagerly too. And then the order to start was shouted and both men pulled on the rope with all they had. It was a fairly evenly matched battle. Troy made progress, pulling Ivan toward his side but then Ivan summoned more will or strength or both and tugged Troy back in his direction. The looks on their faces were of pure concentration.

"They do realize they're competing so that they can dance in front of a crowd of people, right?" she overheard Jennifer ask jokingly from somewhere behind her.

"I think they're competing for a bit more than that," Johanna responded, somewhat solemnly it seemed.

Gabriella thought about what Jo had said, wondering at their motivations, mainly Troy's. Was it purely male ego driving him? The desire just to win? Did he just really not like Ivan? Or did he actually want to dance with her? If so, why? Sure, friends could dance. It could be fun. But it wasn't anything more than a dance, which...well, she just didn't know why Troy would be interested in it...unless he thought it would lead to more... But that was pretty presumptuous of her, she reasoned. Sure, Troy seemed to enjoy his variety in female companionship but maybe she wasn't really attractive to him in that way. She might have been arrogant to assume she was. But then again, Troy had made comments that seemed to indicate he wouldn't mind some recreational alone time with her. And she'd noticed him checking her out before. No, she wasn't being arrogant. He did find her attractive. But attractive enough for all this trouble? Well, maybe it wasn't trouble so much as sport. Oh, someone needed to just win already before she drove herself crazy with her own thinking!

As if the medieval festival gods were smiling upon her, a minute later, Troy yanked Ivan over the line, to the roaring applause of the gathered crowd, which, she surmised, seemed even larger than when the competition had begun.

The two men shook hands to show good sportsmanship, but Ivan looked anything but pleased.

"Fine. Enjoy your dance. You look the part more than I do anyway," he said to Troy bitterly.

Troy didn't take the bait. "Oh, I will. Better luck next time."

Gabriella walked over to both men. "Um, wow. You guys were both great. I'm impressed. In fact, why don't you two lead the dance? Everyone's enjoying watching you both anyway," Gabriella said with a nervous laugh.

"Um, no offense to Ivan here but, as partners go, you're really more my type," Troy said, knowing that was true in a deeper sense too.

Gabriella's eyes met with his, a questioning stare. "Are we really going to do this?" she asked.

"I'd say given the show that was just put on, we kind of have to," Troy answered.

"Come, come," said the older woman, urging them to follow her. Gabriella looked back and gave Ivan a small smile and a wave as she did so. Troy didn't look back, only down at Gabriella as they walked off to one corner of the piazza.

"It'll be alright," Troy whispered in Gabriella's ear as they watched the woman and man start to show them the moves of the dance they would be leading.

Riverenza, Continenza, Trabuchetto, Ripresa...the woman named the various steps she was teaching them. Gabriella and Troy didn't take note of the names of the steps so much as they just tried to remember the specific actions and the order in which they were to do them.

"Did you know this was why they were leading me away earlier?" Gabriella whispered back in the midst of their practicing of the steps.

"I didn't know for certain," Troy answered, "but I had my suspicions when they asked you about dancing."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him slightly and then her lips curved up a bit. "Well, then I guess it's fitting that you should be suffering through this with me."

As Troy and Gabriella practiced a move where they bowed to each other and then he moved in, placed his right arm around her waist, grasped her left hand with his and then lifted her and spun her around, he responded in a low, humored voice. "You're not suffering."

Being placed on the ground once more and awaiting the next lift and spin step eagerly, she realized he was right. Here it was again, that physical closeness she'd been missing. What nagged at her was that she had a hunch she still wouldn't be enjoying it this much if it were Ivan who had won the opportunity to be her dance partner.

"Keep your hands linked. Now, two ripresa followed by two trabuchetto," the woman instructed. This dance seemed to be very much a couples' dance, with a number of holds and a good deal of hand holding and hand touching...walking together, turning together, just moving together. Gabriella thought it was rather a beautiful dance. Troy, who was also glad the dance didn't involve much in the way of hops and kicks and other moves he would have found less comfortable, had no complaints about the steps, and his partner was, well, certainly worth the effort he had put in to be dancing with her.

The woman and man, the orchestrators of this whole situation, deemed Troy and Gabriella ready to make their debut in front of the crowd. They would lead off a dance being performed by a group of experienced festival dancers, as an exhibition to the crowd that was patiently waiting around the piazza.

"Here goes nothing," Troy joked.

"Oh, no...it'll be something," Gabriella joked back, causing them both to laugh before they were both given the signal to get ready.

They took their places, separating so that they were facing each other, Troy at the end of a line of men facing Gabriella at the end of a line of women. As the strains of the music began, they did their initial riverenza, a backward and forward bowing type movement before moving forward and joining their hands as they walked in between the two lines of dancers and then separated once more, taking spots at the end of their respective lines. They did side steps with their lines as each paired couple walked down the middle before resuming their spots in the lines. Then, Troy and Gabriella did a slow riverenza step, moving forward toward each other. Gabriella brought her right hand up and across her body to meet up with Troy's right hand in what was apparently the customary feigned "kissing" of hands associated with this and other dances of the time. They smiled at each other as they lingered with their hands touching for a moment before they retracted them and then repeated the motion with their left hands and then with each of their wrists only. Stepping back, Troy twirled Gabriella and they both backed up into their respective lines, doing some side steps with their lines before moving toward each other once more and performing the lift and spin move they'd enjoyed earlier.

"I'm glad you won," Gabriella said to Troy as they repeated the walk together between the lines that they had done at the start of the dance. Troy's eyes met with hers and he found it hard to look away when they were to separate again at the end of the line. "Me too," he responded before backing up into his line.

As the palms of their hands met again, Troy noted that he liked the way her small, feminine hand pressed against his larger one. He liked how their wrists felt as they grazed each other too. It was funny. He had seen this type of dancing before, but it was never something he figured would have much enjoyment. But when the man had announced the competition earlier for the chance to lead this dance with Gabriella, he hadn't even given it a second thought before he'd stepped forward for the opportunity. She made this an enjoyable experience.

Gabriella noticed the way Troy's eyes sparkled in the torchlit piazza, particularly as their faces came closer to each other during certain parts of the dance. She noticed the slightly calloused flesh of his larger hands as they pressed to hers...strong, manly hands...and the heat their joined hands created. His strength was reassuring and...appealing as he lifted her from the ground. While his body was in command, she knew that hers was well led. She was literally in good hands. She really was glad that she'd been chosen to lead this dance. It was an experience she wouldn't soon forget.

As they ended the dance with mutual riverenza steps, bowing gracefully to each other, Gabriella felt a bit sad that it was over. And then she felt surprised as Troy did something she didn't remember the couple specifically instructing them to do. He reached out and took her hand gently and then leaned over and placed a kiss on it. Prince Charming couldn't have done it better himself. It was only a kiss on her hand, but the feel of it lingered long after. "Thank you," he said with that velvet voice of his as he straightened up once more. "Thank you," she responded softly before the pleased roar of the crowd interrupted the moment. The man and woman brought she and Troy forward for another round of applause from the crowd, to which they smiled and laughed and bowed their thanks. And then the man and woman thanked them and sent them back toward the crowd. As they were folded back into it and Ivan and the Ericksons came to stand by them once more, the girls chattering excitedly about the pictures they'd gotten of the dance and how well they thought Troy and Gabriella had done, Troy felt like something was missing. He'd had intermittent physical contact with her for the past half hour or so. Now, they stood, untouching, next to each other and he longed to reach out and place his hand on her back or take her hand. He settled for inching closer such that his arm grazed hers and rested against it. She looked up at him and smiled before returning her attention to her friends and the conversation they were having.

Gabriella was glad to hear that her friends had captured some photos of her dancing experience. She wouldn't mind seeing what she and Troy had looked like together out there and she knew that her friends back home would definitely enjoy seeing the photos. As they stood there chatting, Gabriella again felt a bit sad that she and Troy weren't still dancing. She felt his arm graze hers and looked up to see him staring down at her, his face unreadable. She offered him a smile. She didn't know if he had grazed her arm on purpose or because the crowd had pushed him closer to her, but she didn't mind the contact. And then Ivan reached out and gently took her hand, altering the moment.

"Will you walk with me for a little while, Gabriella?" he asked.

Gabriella felt briefly uncertain. "Sure," she said, sending apologetic smiles and waves to her friends and then Troy as she allowed Ivan to lead her away and toward a sword-fighting exhibition in another corner of the piazza.

"I'm sorry I didn't end up winning in the end," Ivan apologized.

"Oh, no, it's okay. It was fine. The dance really went pretty quickly," she said, hoping it sounded more matter-of-fact than tinged with lament. "You were really close though. You did a great job."

"Well, thank you," Ivan said, smiling down at her. "For what it's worth, you looked beautiful out there, like a natural."

"Thank you," she replied, smiling back at him.

They watched a bit of the swordplay and then moved along and stopped to listen to some street musicians, talking about the fun of the festival and feeling transported to a different time period. Gabriella couldn't help but look around from time to time. As they watched the knights from earlier in the evening joust, she saw that Troy was no longer standing with the Ericksons, who were across from she and Ivan. She didn't see him elsewhere in the crowd, though she did spot a good number of the single girls from the tour, who seemed to be enjoying the company of some of the local townsmen. She wondered where he'd gone to.

After the joust, the crowd began to thin some, though many stayed to participate in some additional dancing and to continue to enjoy the various stalls and vendors. Ivan and Gabriella had rejoined the Ericksons, who had last seen Troy speaking with some of the couples on their tour. Gabriella excused herself for a few minutes and made her way along the stalls until she found the one Troy had pointed out earlier, the one with the dessert food. She half expected to see him there, but when she didn't, she ordered several of the panforte, ricciarelli, and cavallucci and had the seller put them in a paper bag for her. Carrying the bag back to her friends, she informed them that she was going to call it a night. Ivan offered to walk her back and she accepted. He walked her to her door, where she allowed him to kiss her goodbye. 'Still just nice,' she thought as she bid him farewell until the next morning and watched as he retreated down the hallway before she slipped into her room. Once inside, she took one last long look at herself in the mirror, enjoying the fairy-tale quality of her look. Sighing, she undressed, hanging the costume back up in the closet and throwing on a pair of jeans and a top. Then, she stopped and listened. She wondered if Troy were next door or in someone else's room somewhere or if he were still out on the streets. She grabbed the bag of goodies she had bought and stepped out onto her balcony. She looked out into the blackness of the Tuscan valley first, noting the few stars overhead. She continued to listen. She didn't hear any high-pitched laughter or other sounds coming from the direction of his room. She turned and looked at the glass door leading from his room to his balcony. She could see that a light was on inside. She stood there several moments, undecided. He could be with someone and she didn't particularly want to witness that. But on the other hand, if he wasn't, they could talk some more.

'Oh, what the hell,' she thought, stepping over the railing carefully, continuing to listen for any sounds. Hearing none, she took a breath and approached the door. Then, she raised a hand and knocked lightly, biting her lip as she did so.

After about a moment, the curtain shifted and she saw him looking out at her, his lips curving into a charming smile. He let the curtain drop and pulled the door open.

"Hi," he greeted. She saw that he had changed into jeans and a shirt too.

"Hey! I have dessert," she said, her voice rising as a question as she pointed toward the bag in her other hand.

"Well, in that case, come in," Troy said with a grin.

Gabriella smiled back at him as he stepped aside and she entered. As she did, she saw that Troy had an iPad laying out on his bed, where the slightly rumpled covers and the propped up pillow indicated he had been sitting.

"Ride still malfunctioning?" she asked teasingly.

"Still needs servicing," he teased right back.

"Mm, guess you're out of luck then," Gabriella replied, considering her seating options and deciding on the bed again. It really was much more comfortable.

Troy waited until she had seated herself comfortably before taking up his spot next to her. He really hadn't held any high hopes for this evening after Gabriella had walked away with Ivan. He could have spent time with any of the other girls but he still just wasn't really feeling it. He had considered going to a tavern nearby with Alberto but had decided to come back to his room instead, perhaps with the slight hope of this happening. But then he'd thought he'd heard her voice and Ivan's in the hallway and he hadn't been sure if Ivan had left.

"I don't know. I must still have some luck. You brought me dessert."

"Very true," Gabriella responded, opening the bag and reaching inside. She first retrieved the napkins that had been stuffed inside at the top, handing some to Troy and then keeping some for herself. Then she handed Troy a ricciarelli biscuit and got one out for herself too.

"So, you didn't want to share with Ivan?"

Gabriella shrugged. "Did you?"

"No."

They chewed in silence for a few moments.

"So, what is going on with you two?" Troy asked, wanting and not wanting to know.

Gabriella considered her answer for a moment. "I don't know. We're...considering."

"Which means _you're_ considering."

Gabriella met his eyes. She didn't bother verbally confirming. "So, you didn't lead any more dances without me, did you?" she asked him lightly.

"No," he answered with a smile.

"Did you do anything else fun before heading back here?"

"Not really. Talked to people. That's about it."

"Just talked, huh? Have you lost your mojo?"

"Were you hoping to crash an orgy or something?"

Gabriella's cheeks colored at this. "Well, no..."

Troy had mercy on her. "Maybe I just didn't want a guilty conscience."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm visiting my grandma tomorrow. Grandmothers have a way of just knowing things," he said with chagrin.

Gabriella's interest was piqued. "That's great, that you're getting a visit in, I mean."

"Oh, yeah, I usually go see her a couple times a month. Since we'll have more free time tomorrow afternoon, the tour won't interfere."

"Where does she live?"

"Near Montalcino."

"Are you just visiting her or will your parents be there too?"

"Nah, just me tomorrow."

Gabriella reached into the bag and retrieved two cavallucci cookies, handing one to Troy. Her mind was beginning to fashion an idea. "Um, this is probably really rude of me to ask and if it is, just tell me and I'll be fine with that," she began.

Troy quirked a brow at her, curious as to what she was going to say next.

"But, well, is there any way you would take me with you?"

Troy's eyes widened in surprise. He really hadn't been expecting that. "To meet my grandma?" he asked, unsure if he was understanding correctly.

"Yeah. It's just that I'd love to talk to her about her story...meeting your grandfather, living here and in the U.S. I don't know. It just sounds kind of amazing."

Troy considered this for a moment. His grandma was great. She'd probably love Gabriella. He hadn't brought anyone out there in a long time. It held some bittersweet memories for him, but mostly he just held the place even more dear since all that had happened with Katherine.

Gabriella could see the wheels turning in Troy's head. "It's not entirely personal interest though," she continued, feeling the need to be up front about her intentions. "It definitely is in large part, but I also think it would be kind of an amazing human interest story to include in my article. So, I mean, just tell me if you have any concerns and I'll totally respect that."

Troy took this additional explanation in. So, she stood to gain in terms of her article...but she was being up front about it and giving him the choice. That was refreshing.

"You can come. I'd just like to read your article before you turn it in."

"Oh, sure," Gabriella responded happily. "I'd love your opinion on it anyway before all is said and done."

Troy smiled. He liked the sound of that...not just that he could make sure he knew just what was being shared in regard to his family but also that she wanted his opinion.

"Okay, then. It's a deal."

Gabriella grinned at him, wiped her hand on her napkin, and then held it out as though they had just made an important transaction. Amused, Troy wiped his as well and brought it forward, shaking her hand playfully. Smiling, they let their hands drift apart again, albeit probably more slowly than they needed to. They both enjoyed the physical contact once more.

"Panforte?" Gabriella asked, peeking in the bag to see what was left.

"Sure. Want a drink?"

"A fruity one?"

Troy chuckled. "If that's what you really want, I might be able to sweet talk someone down at the bar into lending me the supplies."

"Nah, anything's fine."

Troy smiled and got up from the bed, retrieving two bottled waters from the mini-fridge in the room. Sitting back down, he handed her one.

"Thanks," she said, accepting it.

"No problem. So, what made you want to be a writer?" he asked, continuing their conversation.

"I don't know. For as long as I can remember, I've just always been writing and enjoying it...whether it was short stories as a kid or poems as a teen or even just lists or journaling. I just like to put my thoughts into writing. It seemed like a good career choice for me."

"Sounds like. Have you gotten to write any other pieces abroad like this one?"

"No. This will be the first one."

"Well, I'm glad I could be here for your first time," Troy said, mischief flashing across his eyes.

Gabriella shook her head at him. "You missed that first time by more than a few years, Bolton."

Troy raised his eyebrows at her, interested and humored.

"What? Just because I haven't jumped into the sack with you does not mean I'm virginal."

"Well...glad we cleared that up," Troy said in a low tone. "But, technically, you've jumped into the sack with me twice now and both times have been rather satisfying, don't you think?" he finished, indicating the panforte they were both holding.

"Yes, and neither time really had anything to do with you," she replied sassily, smirking.

"Not nice, Montez. But, since you brought up the subject, how was that first time for ya?"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes slightly. "Brief...and you brought up the subject.

"Eh, either way...brief, huh?"

Gabriella gave a dismissive gesture of her hand. "It was high school. No one knows what they're doing then."

This made Troy grin. "But things have improved since?"

"Yes. Thanks for caring," she shot back sarcastically, making Troy laugh. "What about you, Mr. I Ask My Tour Members Inappropriate Questions?"

"You're not the type to answer anything you don't want to," Troy defended. "And brief has never been my style, except when called for."

"And, let me guess, you've always known what you were doing? You're a natural talent?" Gabriella challenged.

Troy studied her. Her cheeks had a bit of color in them, no doubt due to the subject matter they were currently discussing. The interest in her eyes belied the defiant look she had on her face. "No," he answered slowly, "but I am a bit of a perfectionist." He resisted the urge to ask her if she'd like a demonstration.

"Oh." That answer sent her mind running in a direction she didn't want it to go, at least not at this very moment. She took a long swig of her cold water. She wasn't sure how else to respond and then a "ding" sound filled the air. Her phone. She pulled it out of her pocket and read the text she'd received from Sharpay. _"How was the festival? Do any shopping? ;-)"_

Troy looked over and saw the message, not thinking too much of it but taking note of Gabriella's friend's full name. He saw Gabriella bite her lip for a second before putting her phone back into her pocket.

"You can answer if you want. I won't think it's rude or anything." He wondered what she might say.

"No, that's okay. I'll answer her later."

"Okay. What did your friends think about the blown fuse incident?"

"They were amused."

"It does make for a fun story."

Gabriella smiled. "Yes, it does."

"It was fun meeting them."

"Oh...good."

"You sound a bit surprised."

"Oh, it's just that they can be a bit much sometimes, teasing and all."

"Nah, they were fine. What did your friend Sharpay mean about you using the stuff she packed for you?"

Gabriella looked away, embarrassed. She considered telling him the truth but decided against it. "Ehrm, just some clothes and things she thought I might need...nothing big."

"And she thought I should make sure you used them?"

"Um, well, that's just Sharpay...she'll order anyone to do anything..."

"Ah." Troy looked at her skeptically, but didn't press her further...for now.

They heard a different "ding" fill the room and Gabriella looked at her phone once more, seeing that she had an incoming email from Taylor.

"They _do_ miss you."

"Sorry," Gabriella said, seeing from the clock on her phone that it was getting late. "I should probably get going anyway so I can reply to them and get ready for bed and such. More Italy awaits us tomorrow," she finished in a chipper voice.

"That it does," Troy responded, once again finding himself being greedy in regard to wanting to spend more time with her. He walked her back out to the balcony, thanked her again for sharing dessert with him, heard yet another ding of her cell phone, said goodnight to her, and waited until she was back in her room before he re-entered his. Brief. If she gave him the chance, he would be anything but brief with her. He would take his time, make those cheeks of hers flush again and again, do his best to erase from her memory any of the men she'd previously been with. Suddenly, his jeans felt more confining than comfortable. It was obviously time for a shower.

* * *

Author's Note: Ahem...you can take that last sentence any way your imaginative mind wants to take it. ;-) Alright my lovelies...you'll like Chapter 13...


	13. Chapter 13

**Escape to Love Chapter 13**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**TOUR INFO:** Day 9

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Hmm...what to say? This chapter is mahoosive (but from some of the reviews I've received, I'm thinking at least some of you won't mind...heh)...it covers a lot of ground and it moves us forward...somewhat anyway. I hope you enjoy it! Oh, and a link to Gabriella's sundress is on my profile in case you'd like that visual; or just imagine it on your own...either way. :-)

* * *

_She fell back onto the bed, panting, her limbs feeling like jelly. "God, you are thorough!"_

_She heard his husky chuckle. "I told you I was a perfectionist."_

Gabriella woke with a start. 'Wow, that was a vivid dream,' she thought. Looking around, she was brought back to her reality, in which she was alone in her bed in her own hotel room, fully dressed in her pajamas and staring at an alarm clock that was screaming at her to get up. She reached over and pressed the snooze button, lying there, staring at the ceiling for a moment before closing her eyes and trying to get back to that lovely dream.

_His fingers sliding over her heated skin...his kisses making her shiver..._

Beep, beep, beep! Beep, beep, beep!

Damn alarm. Gabriella reached over and turned it off this time, sighing before pulling the covers over and sliding out of bed. It was just as well. They hadn't even kissed and her mind had them doing a whole lot more than that. She needed to tuck those images into the back of her mind...way in the back...and focus on the day at hand. Obviously, their conversation had affected her. Maybe her womanly needs weren't as fine as she kept telling Sharpay. But whether or not Troy was going to help her do anything about them...well, the jury was still out, but they definitely seemed to be moving closer toward a decision of "guilty."

Gabriella showered and packed up her things, leaving her costume in the closet as they'd instructed her to do yesterday. Ivan surprised her by coming to her door to help her bring her things down and then to go to breakfast. Troy was seeing that the bus was loaded with everyone's belongings and that everyone who had rented costumes yesterday had either left them in their rooms or had returned them to the front desk. He had already grabbed a quick bite to eat, but he waved to Gabriella and smiled at her as he saw her making her way to the dining room with Ivan. She hoped the reactionary blush she'd felt as her dream flashed back through her mind hadn't been noticed by either man. If it had, neither let on. Troy stopped over at their table briefly to inquire about the costumes, essentially ignoring Ivan and playfully stealing a piece of bacon off of Gabriella's plate as he left.

After breakfast, the short bus ride to Siena was uneventful. The group toured the famous shell-shaped Piazza del Campo and the adjacent Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia (Tower of the Eater). Gabriella enjoyed Troy's story about how the tower was named after its first guardian, Giovanni di Balduccio, who was nicknamed Mangiaguadagni for his tendency to spend all his money on food. It seemed so appropriate in light of Italy's love of food, which, given the great meals she'd been enjoying, she completely understood.

When they were in the huge Piazza del Campo, Troy explained about the famous Palio, a traditional medieval horse race run around the Piazza twice a year:

"The city of Siena is divided into seventeen contrade, or areas of the city. Ten contrade are selected to compete in each race, one horse per contrada. Thousands of people come to see each race and the city is alive with music, singing, drumming, contrada colors being displayed everywhere, banquets, and parades for weeks before. After the race, the winning contrada also feasts and celebrates for weeks. It's a tradition that the Sienese people hold very dear and it's a once in a lifetime experience to witness."

Gabriella thought the race itself sounded very exciting, but she also found herself caught up in Troy's own excitement. It was obvious he felt strongly about his current country of residence, about the Italian people and culture. As had been the case for days now, she was struck by the sense that there was so much more to Troy than she had initially thought. True, he did have a way with women and a way of...dripping sex, even if you were discussing something as mundane as the weather. He could be cocky, but not as much as she had originally anticipated. He could be really down to earth too, something that had pleasantly surprised her and a quality that she did find herself attracted to. He had certainly said some things to her early on that she did not appreciate, but then, in fairness, she had had some sharp words for him too. Since their truce and time spent together one on one these past several days, she felt like they really had begun to become friends...friends who were attracted to each other.

She thought about this more on the ride from Siena south to their next stop, the Abbazia di Sant'Antimo. The only conclusion she came to was that she didn't want to get hurt again. Would a fling with Troy be worth it or only hurt more in the long run? Could she have fun and then just walk away?

As they explored the beautiful original Benedictine abbey that was built around the 8th century after the Emperor Charlemagne was restored to health at that spot after falling sick on the way back to Rome in 781, or so legend had it, Gabriella felt a tinge guilty about the direction of her thoughts so far that morning. She was taken out of them at least for a little while during their short visit there. The abbey itself was kind of magnificent, sitting on its own in a valley surrounded by large fields and tree-covered hills, its white, beige, and pink-hued stones standing out in the strong sunlight. The real experience though was to be had inside the abbey. They had arrived at the appropriate time to catch the service held by a small group of monks who pray via Gregorian chants for about 15 minutes each day. Sitting there on that wooden pew, seeing the plays of light from the large apse window shining down on the monks making their angelic sounds, with the life-sized depiction of Christ on the cross behind the altar at which they stood, and also taking in the various columns surrounding the room, such as the one with a detailed depiction of Daniel in the Lion's Den at the top, Gabriella felt uplifted. She appreciated the serenity of the place and the moment, the beautiful routine of the monks. Again, she took note of the fact that Troy seemed to respect and appreciate this too. She wondered what his thoughts so far this morning had been.

Upon leaving the abbey, the group had lunch at a little restaurant just over the hill from it. Then, Alberto drove them on to Pienza, where Franco Zeffirelli filmed parts of his 1968 Romeo and Juliet, passing on the more obvious Verona. Knowing the film well, Gabriella found walking along these streets and picturing locations within the film to be kind of thrilling. The town still felt like something out of the 15th century and Gabriella could almost picture the Capulets and Montagues walking around the streets, taunting each other about this or that. As a group, they passed through the trapezoid shaped Piazza Pio II, where Mercutio gives his famous Queen Mab speech, and by Piccolomini Palace, which serves as the Capulet residence in the film. As they walked, Troy also pointed out the charming street names, such as Via dell'Amore, del Bacio, and della Fortuna - Street of Love, of the Kiss, of Luck. At Via del Bacio, Gabriella did her best to appear interested in the surrounding shops rather than meeting Ivan's gaze. She had no intention of kissing him surrounded by the group and particularly not in Troy's midst.

Following Pienza, the bus made the quick drive to Montepulciano, where they would be staying for the night. After getting checked in and finding, somehow not surprisingly, that her room was next to Troy's again, Gabriella met up with him and they made their way back down to the parking lot.

"So, what's our ride today?" she asked as they walked along.

"Our ride today is a fine specimen of a vehicle," Troy said with a wink.

Gabriella continued to follow him until they stopped next to a dark blue convertible with a red leather interior. Something clicked in Gabriella's memory and she looked further to see that the car was an Alfa Romeo.

"This is your car?"

"Yep...Valentina."

"You named her?"

"I was up under her hood all the time. I thought we should be on a first name basis."

"Mmm, good point," Gabriella responded with a laugh. "How is she here?"

"Oh, a couple friends dropped her off for me."

"Awesome," Gabriella said, sliding into the passenger seat after Troy had opened the door for her. Troy went around to the other side and slid in behind the wheel. "You're right, this is bold but it works."

"Thank you," Troy said, starting the car and pulling out of the space. He was pleased that she had remembered what he had said about the design of the car a few days ago.

"So, are you sure this is okay?" Gabriella asked as they began their drive toward Montalcino.

"Yeah. I already checked in with my grandma and she's fine with it."

"Good. I wouldn't want to ambush her."

Troy laughed. "It's not easy to ambush my grandma."

"Why? Is she just tough as nails?"

"Mm...more like cleverer than most. She has a way of seeing people...really seeing them. I haven't always taken heed of that, but I should. She's always right," Troy said, pensive.

"Oh, my. She sounds really interesting, but should I be intimidated?"

"No, I don't think so. Just be yourself. Be honest. If she lets you in, really answers your questions, then she trusts you. But she's likely to ask you several first. Just be forewarned."

"Okay," Gabriella responded, taking this in. "So, what about you then? Is your conscience clear enough for this visit?"

"I don't know...I did have this hot brunette in my room last night..."

Gabriella reached over and slapped his arm playfully, enjoying the fact that he'd referred to her as "hot." She knew her conscience wasn't exactly clear. 'Hello clever grandmother. It's nice to meet you. Please don't look at my face and see that my subconscious mind was doing several very delightful x-rated things with your grandson overnight...'

"Yes, my conscience is as clear as it can be," Troy answered more seriously.

Gabriella studied his face. "If you feel guilty, then why do you do the whole playboy thing?"

"Because it's what works right now...and because nothing lasts forever...that's just the fairy tale, right?"

...

_"Grow up, Troy. Everybody uses everybody. Did you actually think we were forever? Nothing lasts forever."_

_"You know I did."_

_"Oh, come on baby, lighten up. It was fun while it lasted, wasn't it?"_

_"You were never just fun to me. You were my future."_

_"You should stick to fun. You can't count on the future."_

_..._

Troy was starting to wonder at the extent to which Katherine had gotten into his head. He'd actually taken her advice, stubbornly refusing to consider the possibility of another relationship because he didn't know if he had it in him to put all his cards on the table and lose again. Katherine was selfish and conniving and he knew this. He knew she hadn't loved him as he'd loved her, but that he had been her right guy at the right time. He knew it wasn't his fault that it didn't work. So, maybe there was a woman for him that would truly love him and would want the same things in life that he did, but his biggest fear was that he wouldn't find her, that he might only attract women who wanted to use him and who would ultimately hurt him and his family. So, he didn't allow for the possibility. He had fun. He didn't let anyone get too close. But the woman next to him was getting further than anyone else had since Katherine, maybe because she'd barely been sure she'd wanted to be his friend let alone anything else...or maybe, and more frighteningly, because he wanted her to know more, because he was getting tired of this alternative universe Troy and wanted someone to see the real him again.

Gabriella took in his answer, recognizing it, in part, as mirroring what she had said to him the other day. Life wasn't a fairy tale. She knew that. It had ups and downs. She'd just been on a "down" for some time now since Michael. She didn't know if anything lasted forever. She did know some things seemed destined to. Her parents, for example. She wasn't naive. She knew things happened, but still, her world would be shaken to the core if her parents ever separated, because it seemed entirely impossible to her. She had grown up appreciating their love for one another, albeit finding it gross at times growing up. But, essentially, it was what she'd always wanted for herself. But, could she put herself out there again? She didn't know.

"Don't take all I've said about fairy tales and relationships to heart too much," she responded to him. "I really have no idea what I'm talking about. I should probably look up Oprah and see if she or Dr. Phil or somebody could give me more insight."

Troy studied her, not having expected that answer. He was still curious about her history. He had done something he wasn't sure if he should have last night. Before he'd gone to sleep, he had retrieved his iPad and found one Sharpay Evans Baylor on Facebook. He'd found Gabriella too, but like the savvy girl he figured she'd be, she had privacy settings that didn't allow him to research her profile further. That said, Sharpay wanted the public at large to know her, so he'd had no trouble accessing her profile and skimming through her photos, finding some containing Gabriella. What he'd found interesting, aside from confirmation that Chicago Gabriella seemed basically the same as Italy Gabriella, meaning she wasn't changing her look at least for her travels, was some of the comments under a few of the pictures. There had been some photos, taken at a club and taken at a restaurant. In the club, Gabriella had been seen leaning over a man's back, laughing. At the restaurant, she was seen sitting next to someone who had a menu up in front of his face. The comments surrounding the photos had read:

Taylor: "How does Michael always do that?"

Gabriella: "He's sneaky like that."

Sharpay: "It's annoying!"

Gabriella: "He just doesn't like having his picture taken. I know, I know."

Troy hadn't been able to find any photos where he could actually see this Michael character, but what he had seen on Gabriella's face was happiness. The photos were from about eight months ago. So, eight months ago, she was apparently happily involved with this guy. And now she was here...and not a big fan of cupid.

"So, Ivan's up for your consideration. Are you considering anyone else?"

Gabriella's eyes felt like they might pop out of her head. She kept them trained ahead. Had he read some of her thoughts?

"I mean, back in Chicago. Are you seeing anyone back there? And don't say Dr. Phil," Troy joked, trying to lighten the question, "because his wife might mind."

Gabriella turned her head, looking beyond the passenger door, feeling a stab of pain at Troy's words, though she knew he wasn't trying to cause that. She swallowed, took a breath, and turned back to him. "No, there's no one back home."

Troy nodded, having suspected as much but still glad for the confirmation, though he regretted that he'd seemed to bring up some sadness or discomfort for her. They both let silence fill the car for several minutes, lost in their own thoughts.

Gabriella looked out at the vast, rolling green and gold fields all around them. This was wine country. If she didn't already know it from paying attention to the itineraries Troy provided them, she'd know it because she'd seen enough pictures and movies to have an idea of what the glory of a lush vineyard looked like...that and the small signs at the ends of various dirt roads leading off the main country road listed the names of the vineyards.

"How much further?" she asked, merely curious and wanting to change the topic and bring it back to something happier.

"Not much."

"There must be some perks to living near all these vineyards," she said, trying for a joke of her own.

"Um, yeah, you could say that," Troy answered, shooting her a humored smile.

"What?"

Troy just shrugged at her, keeping his eyes on the road but still smiling.

A minute later, he surprised her, turning off down one of the side dirt roads. Gabriella took note of the sign: Amore a Prima Vista Vigneto. "I didn't mean we had to stop at one."

"But we do have to stop...unless you want to disappoint my grandma."

Gabriella stared back at him, confused, until they came around a curve and a lovely villa came into view way down at the end of the road. "Wait. Your grandma lives here?"

"For the past 16 years."

"This is your family's vineyard?"

"Yep."

"Oh! Wow! That's kind of amazing, Troy."

"We love it."

"And I guess you grew up coming here then?"

"Yeah."

...

_"Troy! Troy! Great...we must have a teenager now because he's completely ignoring me," Gail said with irritation._

_Jack just chuckled, touching his wife's arm gently to get her attention and then inclining his head in the direction of what he was sure was capturing his son's attention at the moment, or who rather._

_Troy vaguely noted what his parents were saying and doing but he couldn't be bothered to answer them right now. She was beautiful, the girl with the long, straight brown hair and the thin, pouty lips walking along the dusty road with a man he presumed was her father. She looked up at the car passing by, the car his father was driving, and he saw that she had emerald green eyes._

...

"That's awesome."

"I can show you around a bit if you'd like."

"I'd like...if you don't mind."

"I don't mind...come on," he said, pulling the car over, killing the engine and getting out. He opened her door and she followed him as he led her down one of the many planted rows of the vineyard.

"Have you ever been on a vineyard?"

"Yes, but only really for a wine tasting event, not really in the fields or anything."

"Well, let's see. Here, we grow Sangiovese grapes, which ultimately produce a Brunello wine."

"Okay. I was reading that this area is known for Brunellos."

"It definitely is. See the men over there?" Troy asked, indicating some workers a couple rows over.

"Mmm, hmm."

"They're employed to do some form of canopy management each day."

"Canopy management?"

"Sorry. Canopy just refers to all the different parts of a grapevine visible aboveground, so the trunk, stems, leaves, and fruit, for instance."

"Ah."

"Well, today, the men are examining the leaf to fruit ratio. Believe it or not, you need to be concerned about that."

"Why?"

"You want to have a balanced vine, so you want to have just enough leaf cover for the plant to produce the energy needed to ripen the grape without having too much to the point where there's an overgrowth of shoots because that could lead to less fully developed grape clusters. Also, the shade that the leaves produce can be good to protect from heat stress, but too much shade can decrease the development of sugars and other compounds in the grapes."

"Wow. You take a lot for granted when you're just sipping your glass of wine, huh?"

Troy chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so."

"So, do they remove leaves if there are too many?"

"Yes, they're very skilled in that and other methods of canopy management."

"What are some of the other methods?" Gabriella asked, curiously.

Troy stared down at her, reading her face. She genuinely seemed interested. And she looked completely adorable looking back up at him like a schoolgirl on a field trip learning all she could. "You sure you want to know? I'm not boring you, am I?"

Gabriella shook her head. "No. I'm having my own one on one vineyard tour and I never knew any of this stuff. It's kind of fascinating."

"Okay."

"I'll tell you if you get boring. I promise," she said, her lips curving slightly.

Troy grinned down at her. "Fair enough." He went on to describe some additional methods as they walked along. Gabriella looked at everything he was showing her, particularly as he pointed out different areas of the vine and different examples of what he was talking about. But she also looked at him...the late afternoon sun shining down on them, lighting one side of his face and shadowing the other. His squint was adorable. How could a squint be adorable? She was doing it too and she knew it must make her look more distorted than adorable. Her eyes drifted to his mouth as he talked. His lips were this perfect shade of pink and they just curved at such tantalizing angles as he spoke, showing glimpses of his pearly whites and tongue inside...the tongue which he licked his lips with every 15-20 seconds...not that she was counting or anything.

They got back into the car and drove to the cellar where the grapes were crushed, fermented and aged. He gave her a brief overview of the process and their bottling.

"So, the name, Amore a Prima Vista Vigneto...am I guessing right that that means Love at First Sight Vineyard?"

Troy smiled at her. "You're guessing exactly right. My grandparents bought the vineyard after they'd moved back over here. That's how they felt it had been for them that day in the market so that's how they chose the name."

"They're so romantic."

"Yeah, they were," Troy responded, pausing for a moment before asking "would you like to try some?"

"Si, si!" Gabriella exclaimed with a laugh, causing Troy to laugh with her as he retrieved two glasses and extracted wine from one of the oak casks into them. He handed her a glass of the dark, deep reddish-brown liquid and she repeated his motions of swirling it to draw oxygen into the wine to release and intensify its aroma, which they then both smelled from within the glass, before taking small sips and swishing them around in their mouths before swallowing.

Gabriella could taste the flavors of blackberry, black cherry, and black raspberry, with hints of chocolate and leather rounding out the experience. All in all, she liked it and she told Troy so. He seemed pleased to hear it. They both savored another sip, eyes meeting as they let the liquid seep into their mouths, experiencing its flavors once more.

Troy had grown up coming here. He'd developed an appreciation for grapes and wine and all its flavors...but right now, all he could think of was that he'd like to taste the flavor of the wine from within her mouth, or really, just taste her mouth. He wondered if she would let him. Near as he could tell, she was attracted to him. And the air between them seemed charged somehow. He didn't want to miss an opportunity...

As she swallowed, she watched Troy do the same. She took in his overall appearance - in his jeans and nice button-down shirt, rolled at the sleeves, he looked every bit as comfortable down here as he had out in the fields. He lowered his glass and set it on a nearby table. She slowly lowered her glass, holding his stare. He seemed like he was trying to decide something, something involving her. And then his eyes flashed to someone behind her and she saw him blink, seeming to forcibly refocus.

"Demarco!" he greeted and Gabriella turned to see the person he was now talking to, feeling slight disappointment that they'd been intruded upon even though she had no right to, given that this was an up and running vineyard and she was just a guest.

"Troy!" the other man greeted, as the two shook hands. They spoke several words in Italian and then Troy introduced she and Demarco briefly before Demarco, the vineyard manager, continued on with his business in the cellar and Troy led Gabriella back out to the car. 'That was apparently not meant to be,' Troy thought with disappointment and resignation. He drove them the short distance to the house, parking once more. As they made their way toward the door, it opened and out walked a graceful woman, petite in height like Gabriella, with thick, wavy silver hair stopping above her shoulders. She was wearing a flowery skirt with a light blouse and Gabriella felt glad she had decided to wear one of her nice sundresses, the light blue one with the light ruffle along the v-neck and the lavender rose and green striped bottom.

"Ciao, nonna," Troy said as he reached the older woman and embraced her.

Gabriella smiled, watching as they shared a few words on their own in Italian. Then, Troy stepped back and motioned toward her and she stepped closer to them both.

"Grandma, this is Gabriella Montez. Gabriella, this is my grandma, Francesca Caldwell."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear," Francesca said, smiling welcomingly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too," Gabriella responded sweetly. "Thank you so much for allowing me to come disturb your visit."

"Disturb? Oh, nonsense, dear. I'm just going to send Troy off to do some chores anyway. I could use the company...and the girl talk sounds appealing," she said with a wink, not terribly unlike her grandson's.

Gabriella's eyebrows rose a bit and she looked to Troy for confirmation. "It's true. That's all I am to her, the unpaid help," Troy said teasingly.

"Unpaid? Bah...I think I pay you your weight in baked goods each year," Francesca shot back with good humor.

"Oh...there is that," Troy said with a smirk and a half shrug.

Gabriella couldn't help but smile at the loving interplay between them. Yet another side of Troy, this loving, helpful grandson side.

"Well, come on in," Francesca said, turning and motioning for them both to follow.

They did so and entered a brown tile entryway leading into a living area off to the right, a dining area straight ahead, and an entrance into a kitchen off to the left.

"Speaking of baked goods..." Troy said, starting to walk into the kitchen

"No, no...work first, eat later," Francesca said, blocking his entrance.

Troy looked at her pitifully for a moment, the full on puppy dog look.

"Ohhh...abbastanza!" (Enough!)

Troy grinned as she reached back and handed him a limoncello cookie from the plate sitting by the stove. "Ti amo, nonna." (I love you, grandma.)

"Yah, yah, yah...off with you. I need you to see about that loose floor board at the office and see if you can figure out what messages that computer keeps popping up at me. And can you check the newest labels to make sure they came out right. Oh, and Vittorio may need some help with a loose stable door."

Troy listened and nodded. "Board, computer, labels, door...got it," he said, sending a smile Gabriella's way before popping the cookie into his mouth and heading back out the door through which they'd entered.

"He really is a good boy," Francesca said, bringing her attention from the door through which Troy had exited back to the woman in front of her. "Good man, I mean...but, of course, he'll always be a boy to me."

Gabriella smiled her understanding.

"Anyway, now that that's taken care of, we can get settled. Would you like a drink?"

"Sure. A glass of water would be wonderful."

Francesca nodded and filled two glasses with ice water and placed them on a tray with the plate of cookies from next to the stove. "I'd be happy to carry that," Gabriella offered, earning a smile of approval from Francesca, who accepted the offer and pointed her toward the living room. Gabriella sat the tray down on the coffee table as Francesca indicated and both women sat down on the sofa next to it.

They sipped from their glasses and nibbled on cookies as they began to chat. Troy had been right, as Francesca had indicated she'd love for Gabriella to tell her a bit about herself. They'd covered basics, such as where she was from, family life, education, and what she thought of her time in Italy so far. Gabriella noticed from the clock sitting on the fireplace mantle that they'd already spoken for nearly 40 minutes and they hadn't even begun to talk about Francesca's story yet. As if reading her mind, Francesca brought up the topic.

"So, Troy tells me that you might like to feature my love story in an article you're writing."

"Yes, from the little that Troy has told me, I've been intrigued and I think our readers would be too."

"Love is always of interest."

"Yes, it is.

"And it is of interest to you?"

Gabriella paused before answering. "Yes."

"Have you been in love?"

Gabriella wasn't sure why, but she had partly anticipated the question and it did seem fair that a woman who might share the love so close to her heart might want to know the person listening had some inkling of understanding of it. "Yes."

"More than once?"

"Yes."

"But things did not work out?"

"No."

Silence filled the room as Francesca just looked at her reassuringly. Gabriella thought back over her dating history. She had dated several guys, but there were three she had actually considered herself in love with, Greg, Logan, and Michael. Greg was her boyfriend in high school, the first person she'd ever had sex with. They had gone off to different colleges and grown apart. She bore him no ill will. Logan had been her boyfriend her junior year in college. He had cheated on her. And then there was Michael. He was supposed to be her truly grown up love experience, the one to last. He was not at all what he seemed.

Gabriella didn't know why, but she elaborated on her answer. Maybe it was just the kindness or the wisdom she already sensed from Troy's grandmother, or maybe she just felt like letting someone know. "My first love holds a special place in my heart and memory, but we were just kids. We grew in our own separate directions. The other two...well, they didn't love me as I did them and they were...not faithful." Though the situations were different, the description still fit.

Francesca nodded, placing her hand on Gabriella's forearm comfortingly. "I know that's not easy to share, dear, but it is something I can relate to."

Gabriella looked back at the other woman, not disguising the surprise on her face.

Francesca smiled. "I'm sure Troy hasn't shared this part of my story because he probably doesn't know or remember it. He's a guy," Francesca said with a dismissive gesture of her hand. He remembers the punch line: they fell in love at the market."

Out in the kitchen, Troy's eyes widened. He had come quietly back to the house to get himself a glass of water and hadn't wanted to interrupt their conversation, initially out of courtesy and then out of curiosity. He had heard what Gabriella had said about her experiences of being in love. Knowing a little more about where her sadness stemmed from made him feel sad and angry on her behalf. He didn't like that these men had hurt her. And he knew what that felt like, that ache and that sting of betrayal. He knew how low it could make you feel. But for once, he was thinking about it on her behalf and not his own. Those men were selfish idiots.

And now it sounded as though his grandmother had been hurt by another such idiot. And no, he didn't know or remember that part of the story. He listened as she continued.

"I was 19. Enzo had cheated on me with a friend of mine a few months back. I was still getting over the heartbreak. I know I was young but I was thinking that I didn't know if I wanted anything to do with love anymore. And then I saw him...dressed in uniform, looking handsome as the day is long, browsing cheeses at a market vending stall. I was on an errand to buy bread and vegetables for my family. He caught me looking at him and he held my gaze. I broke it first and tried to continue on about my shopping. But as I turned a corner to go down another row of stalls, I nearly ran into him, holding a fresh bouquet of local flowers he'd just purchased from a stall one row over. It was a simple act but it charmed me. As I accepted the flowers and we walked along through the market together, he charmed me with his honesty and wit...and his eyes. You can tell a lot from a man's eyes. So, when he asked me if he could take me to dinner the next evening, I said yes. And I said yes to each invitation after that. Enzo had hurt me, but Anthony healed me. Or maybe I healed myself. Or maybe a bit of both. All I know is that love has a way of finding you again, even if you're not sure you want it to. And I think that the right love finds you if you let it."

Gabriella had turned on her mini tape recorder as Francesca had begun to share her story, which Francesca had nodded her assent to. It continued to record as Francesca talked about their engagement, small wedding, early married life here, life in the U.S., and then life back here once they'd moved back and started the vineyard. Gabriella was glad it was recording because even as Francesca finished up sharing her final years with her beloved husband, Gabriella's mind was swirling with her own thoughts...with an inkling of hope...hope that maybe love would find her again and that it would be right this time.

* * *

Troy had snuck back out of the house after hearing what he hadn't known about his grandma's heartache before meeting his grandpa. He thought about that and found some comfort in knowing things had worked out beautifully for his grandparents. He also thought about his own memorable first glimpse of a girl, the memory that had flashed before him earlier in the car.

He was fourteen that first time he'd laid eyes on her and on those green eyes that had captivated him. But he and his parents had been at the end of their visit, leaving Italy and heading back to California. The image of her had stayed with him though. He next saw her when he was seventeen. She was the daughter to a nearby farmer. Her name was Caterina Contadino, but when she'd met Troy, she'd told him she preferred the American form of her name, Katherine. They had hung out, become friends, kissed while strolling the Piazza del Popolo in town, made love in the fields of her father's farm. It had been six wonderful weeks and then Troy had had to leave, to start college in the states. They had kept in touch for a short while, but then her messages to him had stopped.

He figured it was what it was and he didn't hear from her again until nearly six years later...and then he'd set a plan in motion, a plan to get back to her. She missed him. She loved him. She wanted him. No one else had been like him and she was sorry she had ever lost touch but they had been young...could he forgive her? Of course he could. What else were they to do at the time? He'd gotten his college education. He'd begun a successful career. He'd dated through college but hadn't found anyone he longed to be with for the long-term...and he still thought back to that summer with Katherine. So, when she'd contacted him, it had seemed like his destiny. His family was here. She was here. He was happy and hopeful. He was offered the position teaching at the Style Design College in Milan and seized the opportunity. And then he picked up his life in the U.S. and traded it for his life in Italy, a life that had always been meant to include Katherine...or so he'd thought.

Troy shook himself out of his own memories. He had already helped out Vittorio, so he set about handling the last few chores for his grandma at the office.

* * *

"Thank you so much for sharing your story," Gabriella said.

"You're very welcome," Francesca responded warmly. "I hope it helps."

"Oh, yes. It's going to be the best part of my article, I'm sure of it."

Francesca smiled and met her eyes knowingly. "I'm glad. And use whatever you want to for your article. But I hope it helps you too, Gabriella."

"Me?"

"Mmmhmm. You're on your way. You both are."

"Both?"

"Yes. I'm glad you've found each other."

Gabriella stared at the other woman dumbly.

"You seem like a good, sincere woman, Gabriella. Nothing like Katherine."

Katherine?

"Oh, what that girl put him through. I never trusted her."

Troy's own heartbreak? She'd never learned anything more about that and whether or not he had been hurt like she had. She'd taken note of the things he'd said before that had stood out to her, such as his caution that ambition changes people and his understanding of the cupid statues back at Boboli Gardens, and his question the other day in the car about whether or not happily right now was all you could count on. She'd just sensed that if there was more, they weren't at a place to discuss it as of yet. But Francesca seemed to be confirming it. This Katherine had hurt him. Gabriella just nodded. She was in that uncertain position of someone speaking to her as if she knew exactly what that person was talking about. She could point out that she didn't, but then Francesca might shut down and not say more, realizing that Troy hadn't told her...or she could just nod and listen and see what she learned. Right or wrong, the latter seemed more appealing.

"He did so much for her," Francesca continued. "Of course, that's what she wanted. She knew he could help get her to the life she desired. But our poor boy...he thought the life Katherine desired was with him. He was just her means to an end. Such selfishness. I feel so badly for her parents. She never even visits them...doesn't have a care for them. Troy's such a good man though. He still sees that they are doing well, still has care and respect for them despite how their daughter hurt him. Of course, she hurt them too and he knows that. Anyway, her father, Vittorio, will appreciate the help with his stable door today. At least he doesn't have to worry about running into her when he's over there at the farm. That girl wants nothing to do with country life. She never did."

Gabriella sat taking this all in, still not knowing much in the way of specifics other than that Katherine may have been from here since her parents seemed to have a farm nearby. But even without specifics, she was gathering plenty in terms of this ambitious, selfish woman who Troy had apparently envisioned a future with. She felt a hollow ache in the pit of her stomach. He had been hurt every bit as badly as she had. He had seen a future that was filled with love and realized the person he envisioned it with had never seen or wanted that same future. He had focused on and done so much for one woman and it hadn't gotten him anything but pain.

Shit. She'd judged him so harshly. She'd assumed he was some spoiled, selfish guy who couldn't be bothered with the idea of trying to have a real relationship, who refused to because he didn't want to give up on fun. But it didn't sound like that's who the real Troy was.

"Anyway, sorry to go on about Katherine. I'll stop now. She doesn't deserve to have another minute of time or discussion devoted to her."

'But I need to know more,' Gabriella's mind protested.

"I'm very grateful to you, Gabriella. His parents will be too."

"Wh...why?" Gabriella managed.

Francesca smiled at her sweetly. "Because...Troy has a bit of happiness...a sparkle in his eyes that I haven't seen in some time. I could hear it a bit when we spoke on the phone, and I saw it most strongly when he was looking at you. So, thank you. You may be bringing him back to us. Of course we'll always love him no matter what, but this Troy we've known these past six months, the one who's been more reckless and somewhat shut down, well, anyway, it's just time to move on from that."

These past six months...reckless...potential pieces were coming together in Gabriella's mind. Was the Troy she'd met her first day, the Troy who was honest with the women on their tour that what they were sharing was nothing close to love, the Troy that flirted and complimented but didn't let others get too close something of a new development? Then, what of the Troy she'd been getting to know? Because he was different when he was with her...and she liked how he was when he was with her.

"Gabriella?"

"Yes?"

"I asked if you'd like some more water, dear."

"Oh, yes, please."

Francesca retrieved both glasses and walked off toward the kitchen. Gabriella turned and looked out the window behind her. She saw Troy walking from the garage over to another nearby building she presumed was the vineyard's office. He was carrying a black tool box, which she assumed was to help fix the loose floor board. As he was passing by, he turned and looked toward the house, seeing her looking back at him. He caught her eye and smiled and she couldn't help but smile back.

She heard a shuffling noise next to her. "Here you go, dear," Francesca said, handing her her now refilled glass. "He is quite handsome, isn't he? He has a bit of his grandfather in him for certain. He had those piercing blue eyes too."

Gabriella's eyes met the other woman's and she felt a blush creep up onto her cheeks. Damn revealing cheeks! She simply nodded.

"Of course, you're quite a stunning beauty yourself, dear. You look good together."

Gabriella blushed again, from the compliment and from the continued assumption that she and Troy were together. She felt like she should correct the assumption, but was uncertain. "Thank you, Francesca. That's very sweet, but Troy and I..."

"Oh, I know you haven't known each other long and I'm not trying to place any undue pressure on you. It's fine to take things slowly."

"But..."

"And on the other hand, if you're not taking them too slowly, that's fine too. You're both adults, after all and I can't say as Anthony and I waited long ourselves. We just knew very quickly that it was love."

Oh, geez. Her cheeks were going to stay this color permanently.

"Oh, I didn't mean to embarrass you, dear. That's what happens when you get older; you just say exactly what's on your mind."

'That must be liberating,' Gabriella thought.

"Please, you can tell me anything you want to, even to shut up. I'll still be grateful to you. Troy wouldn't love me saying this, but we really have been worried. But you are obviously a godsend and I've had so much fun getting to know you."

That did it. She was a godsend. She could ease their minds just by letting them think that she and Troy were together. She couldn't take that away from the sweet woman sitting next to her and Troy's parents, whom she hadn't even met. Still, she didn't want them to get their hopes up too high or it could hurt them in the end.

"I wouldn't tell you to shut up, Francesca. I've enjoyed getting to know you, too. Just...you were right in that...we are taking things slowly."

Francesca beamed at her. Just then, movement from outside the window caught both of their sets of eyes. Troy was walking back to the garage with the toolbox. "Looks like he'll be done soon."

As if to confirm his grandmother's statement, Troy looked over and waved at them, smiling and holding up his index finger to convey that he'd be back in in a minute.

'Oh my,' Gabriella thought, 'and he has no idea what I've just let his grandma believe. She returned his smile and watched him walk toward the garage.

"Go. It's okay."

"What?" Gabriella asked, returning her attention to Francesca, confused.

"I was watching you two out amongst the vines earlier. I saw the way you were with each other and I've seen the way you've looked at each other since you've come to the house. You've been wanting to kiss each other."

Gabriella's eyes nearly popped out of her head and her throat went dry. God, this woman was good. At least at reading her. She couldn't say if she had read Troy correctly.

"So, your secret's out. There was no need to spare me anyway by keeping it from me, if that's what you were trying to do."

"Well...we wouldn't want to offend you with...showing our affection too much," Gabriella said carefully. "Not everyone is a fan of that."

Francesca laughed, looking out and seeing Troy starting to emerge from the garage once more. "You _will_ offend me if you don't go and kiss my grandson right now, Gabriella," she said with unconfined mirth.

Gabriella stared back at her wide-eyed and disbelieving.

"Up, up," Francesca encouraged, if that skill for being lovingly bossy that Italian grandmothers retained could be considered encouragement.

Gabriella stood up slowly, on shaky legs. What the hell had she gotten herself into? 'Exactly what you wanted to get yourself into,' her subconscious answered sassily. 'Ugh, shut up,' her more nervous conscious self answered back within her mind.

"Take your time. I won't mind."

Gabriella felt herself nod slightly and felt her legs start to move her in the direction of the front door, but she couldn't quite believe she was going to do this. As she walked outside, the heat of the sun warmed her arms and legs. She looked to her left and saw Troy starting to walk toward her from the garage. When he saw her, he looked pleasantly surprised and then, as he seemed to study her face as she stared back at him, he looked confused by whatever emotions it was displaying.

Troy didn't know what to make of the way Gabriella was approaching him right now. She looked like a woman on a mission, and one that she was not certain about completing. Still, she walked with a gracefulness that he enjoyed watching. Her dress swished around her legs, tauntingly...those long, tan, shapely legs. Gabriella herself was not tall but her legs struck him as anything but short. They were downright sexy is what they were. 'Focus, Troy. Eyes up. She obviously has something she wants to say to you.' What in the world had her conversation with his grandmother led to?

She was getting closer to him. True, she could ultimately disappoint Francesca. But then, what kind of _encouragement_ would the woman provide once they were back in the house in her presence? No, this was better. At least they were outside and it was between the two of them. Gabriella caught a glimpse of silver hair in the living room window as she passed it. 'Okay, make this look real, Gabriella. Of course, it will look real...you've been wanting to kiss him...' She bit her lower lip slightly with her teeth and then stopped biting it because she didn't want to make Troy taste blood when she assaulted him.

She was biting that luscious lip of hers and then she stopped, making a face at herself before taking a breath as she looked up and met his eyes once more. Troy was a bit amused, but also confused, curious, and uncertain. He felt like something was about to happen...something important...but that didn't make sense to him.

'So, how are you going to do this, Gabriella?' she thought, only steps away from him now. She felt like she had to give him some warning, if for no other reason than that he might reject her and she wanted him to at least allow his grandmother her happiness. Three more steps. "Hug me," she said to him, part nervous request, part assertive instruction.

Troy's eyebrows rose at this and he blinked, but to his credit, he held his arms out and she walked right into them. She found this strangely reassuring as he wrapped his strong arms around her and she slid hers around the broad, hard muscles of his back. He felt so warm against her. She liked the feel of his chest pressed to hers. She could stay just like this...except that she couldn't. She thought she might have felt his heartbeat except that it was hard to tell given the pounding within her own rib cage. She took a cleansing breath and then did what felt most honest. "I'm going to kiss you now."

Wait. Did he just hear that correctly? She was going to kiss him? Had he fallen asleep in the vineyard office? 'No,' he thought, feeling her soft curves against him. This felt very real. His breathing hitched as she pulled back slightly, enough so that she could look up at him, searching his eyes with her own. Troy wondered if the extent of his desire for this to happen was conveyed in them at this moment. They must have given her the assent that she sought because she was rising up on her toes and closing the distance between their lips steadily.

She had never done this before...made the first move like this. Of course, "first" presumed there would be others and she couldn't think beyond this moment right now. As she pulled back to look into his eyes, she saw it. Francesca was right. You could tell a lot from a man's eyes. He wanted her to kiss him. With this heady realization, Gabriella pushed on. She rose up on her toes to try to better meet his height. Troy seemed to realize this and he bent slightly and inclined his head toward her.

And then their lips met. She had meant to keep it a simple kiss, fairly chaste, but as she pressed her lips lightly to his and felt the pleasurable tingle of doing so run throughout her entire body, she threw her intentions out the proverbial window. Her lips parted slightly and she drew his upper lip between her own and rather savored it there for a moment before pulling back slightly and then repeating the motion. She felt Troy's lips follow suit, enclosing her lower lip and ever so slowly, ever so teasingly releasing it the slightest bit. Damn, he was good at this.

She allowed her lips to glide over his in this sensual back and forth for a minute or so and then, she couldn't resist. Some part of her knew this would suffice. She'd kissed him. Francesca was likely watching and they'd already shared what, for all intents and purposes, should have looked like a kiss between two people who were taking things slowly. She should pull back now. That would be the proper thing to do. But she didn't want to be proper. She wanted...more.

Troy let her lead the kiss, which seemed only fitting as she had initiated it...and he was more than content to let her steer it, as she certainly seemed to know what she was doing. If this was a dream, he didn't want to be pinched.

As she enclosed his upper lip with her own once more, she let her tongue run along his lip...the silent question. She felt him pull her to him more tightly and felt his lips part, giving her entrance. She thought she might melt right there on the spot from the heat of him. But if she did, she wouldn't get to continue to enjoy this. Her tongue danced teasingly with his, exploring, communicating enjoyment.

She tasted sweeter than he even could have imagined. And she kissed with a mix of innocence and unbridled desire that he found utterly intoxicating. If he weren't at his grandmother's place... But he was at his grandmother's place, which begged the question of where this was coming from...not that he minded. Oh, how he didn't mind! But he still didn't understand. He wouldn't have pegged Gabriella as the type of girl to initiate a first kiss while visiting a guy's grandmother.

Gabriella felt Troy hesitate and she wondered if she'd taken the kiss too far, kept it going too long. She reluctantly pulled back, separating her lips from his and lowering herself so that she was standing back on her entire feet. She opened her eyes slowly, half afraid of what she'd see when she looked at him.

'Shit, Troy. You had to start thinking, didn't you?' Troy thought, realizing he'd probably indicated to her that he was done with the kiss. Nothing could be further from the truth. He'd wanted to keep kissing her; he'd just let his stupid brain get in the way. As their lips separated, he opened his eyes, seeing that she was opening hers more slowly.

He didn't look unhappy or disgusted or even amused...a good sign. He looked a bit stunned and confused but also...hopeful? Pleased? Turned on? She knew she needed to explain the situation to him so he wasn't caught further off guard when they went inside.

"I can explain."

Troy's lips curved up into a small smile and she paused a moment, eyes darting back to those lips, wanting to be joined to them once more. She lifted her eyes so that they met his again. She saw the interest there and she continued.

"Your grandma, well, has it in her head that we're dating now and she didn't really give me any chance to refute it and it seemed to make her so happy so..."

"So, this was all for my grandma's benefit?"

"Well...yes." 'And for mine,' her mind screamed.

'Mental note: thank nonna,' Troy thought, his lips curving further.

Troy now looked somewhat amused.

"My grandma didn't need the tongue..."

Gabriella felt the rush of heat to her face. He was right, of course. But she wasn't ready to let him know that she'd been thinking about kissing him anyway and had just gotten carried away.

"I, um, wanted to make it look good, you know, real. She said we looked like we'd been wanting to kiss since we got here and that I should go kiss you right now and, well, sorry if I took it too far."

Troy licked his lips unconsciously. "You didn't take it too far. I wasn't complaining," he said huskily.

Gabriella felt her heart beat faster at the comment. She was tempted to kiss him again.

A flash of light reflected off the living room window of the house and Troy's eyes flickered in that direction, seeing his grandmother turning away as though she hadn't been watching them. Troy shook his head at her sneakiness and then returned his attention to Gabriella. "We should probably head in. I think my grandma wants to spend some time with the happy couple," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Gabriella gave him a small smile. "So, you're cool with this? Just, you know, for her sake?"

"Yeah, I'm cool with it. Come on," he said, pulling back and letting her go for the first time since she'd walked into his embrace.

Gabriella stepped back, missing the feel of him. She pivoted and turned to walk back in the direction of the house and felt him catch her hand. He was next to her and she looked up at him and saw him grin as his fingers laced with hers. She returned the grin and they set about walking back to the house.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, is that how you pictured their first kiss happening? Lol! Up next: the aftermath, of course. ;-)


	14. Chapter 14

**Escape to Love Chapter 14**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**TOUR INFO:** Day 9 & Day 10

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **So, I hope you all know that you're like the wind beneath my wings, the peanut butter to my jelly, the cheese to my macaroni, the...well, you get the point. Thanks so very much for all of the smiles and laughs you give me and I'm glad it sounds like I've been able to do the same for you. :-) Well, our dear T & G have kissed. So, now I can promise things will keep getting hotter with them as the chapters go on...if you've read LBMF and/or HC, you should know you can trust this is true. But, this baby's also kind of my labor of love now, so their relationship will be as fully developed as possible within the time frame. All this to say, it's not all sunshine and roses for them yet; there will be some more ups and downs...but the downs will hopefully be realistic and help them ultimately progress and the ups will hopefully be very pleasing. ;-) Anyhoo, read on...

* * *

Gabriella and Troy made their way back to the house, hands entwined, both inwardly enjoying this closeness and reliving their kiss repeatedly. Once inside, Francesca insisted they both take the sofa and she sat on a chair opposite them. Maintaining their facade quite willingly, they sat close to one another and Troy lifted his arm, sliding his fingers along her back until his hand came to rest around her shoulder. Gabriella didn't realize she had that many nerve endings in her back, but Troy seemed to awaken them all in those few seconds. Playing her part, she placed her hand lightly on his knee, forcing her hand to stay put, though her fingers itched to do their own sliding. Troy's nerve endings were not immune to her touch either. And it didn't escape him that this pose they'd taken on in front of his grandmother felt very natural and enjoyable.

The remainder of their visit with Francesca was pleasant. The older woman beamed at them, but didn't say much to embarrass them, thankfully. She just chatted with them, seeming rather pleased with herself, and plied them with cookies and other desserts and cappuccinos. Gabriella and Troy told her about the festival the day before and about the contest and their dance. They left out specific mention of Ivan and just left it at the fact that Troy had won.

"Well, of course he did, my dear. It wasn't meant to be any other way," Francesca had commented with a knowing smile.

They showed her the pictures they'd had taken beforehand in their costumes. Troy had remembered to bring them along, knowing his grandma would appreciate seeing them and hearing about the festival. Francesca had insisted on seeing them do their dance for her, so they did so as best they could without the rest of the dancers. This time around, however, they danced it more like a couple, bringing their faces even closer together, eyeing each other flirtily, and holding each other more tightly. And when Troy leaned over and kissed her hand at the end, he then stood upright, pulling the hand gently behind him as he stepped closer and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. It was the simple, chaste kind she had initially planned on earlier, but somehow nothing with him felt exactly chaste. His eyes held hers as he stepped back and they heard Francesca's applause and delight.

Aside from their discussion of yesterday's events, there had been one other interesting conversation when Francesca had complimented Gabriella's dress. She'd asked Gabriella if she knew what lavender roses symbolized. Gabriella had pointed out that Troy had told her they stood for enchantment and uniqueness. Francesca had concurred but had glanced at Troy before explaining that they had a few other meanings too.

"Troy is correct. Giving someone lavender roses tells them that the giver finds them enchanting and as unique and special as an unusual flower. But lavender roses can also mean 'I adore you' or 'I am falling in love with you.' They can also symbolize love at first sight, which is why I have some planted out by the office, or they can represent a fairy tale kind of love. It's funny, I thought I had told Troy all of the meanings before."

Troy looked at his grandmother sheepishly. "Sorry, nonna. I guess I didn't remember them all." Francesca looked at him as though she didn't quite believe him, but Troy just shrugged nonchalantly.

Gabriella smiled as she learned more about her favorite flower. She'd had no idea it stood for all of that, but it seemed a fitting choice for her to be drawn to it. She'd love to have someone give her these roses with these meanings behind them.

All too soon, it was time to go. As they left, Francesca warmly embraced Gabriella and then did the same with her grandson, making him promise to bring Gabriella to his mother's birthday party in a couple weeks and making Gabriella promise to come. The date was right before the end of her trip, but she promised, as did Troy. Francesca saw them out to the car and waved goodbye to them as they drove off.

Out of sight of the house, silence filled the car for several charged minutes. "I think I understand where you get your love of desserts from," Gabriella said lightly, breaking the silence.

Beside her, Troy grinned. "Yeah, nonna's desserts are the best."

"You kind of call her grandma and nonna interchangeably," Gabriella observed.

"I know. It's the whole America and Italy thing. She didn't want me to feel confused or for my friends to when I was little, with other kids calling their grandmothers 'grandma' and such, but she told me that if I wanted to, I could call her 'nonna' when it was just the two of us or just our family. In retrospect, from what I hear nowadays, I could have called her anything around anyone, but I just grew up doing both that way."

"It kind of makes it more special...more of an endearment when you're around her then," Gabriella remarked.

Again, Troy smiled, appreciating how Gabriella understood. "That's kind of how I see it."

"So, you got all of the tasks done for your grandma then?"

"Mmmhmm."

"And the stable door?"

"Yep, all fixed."

Gabriella paused, unsure if she should go on and broach the subject of her newfound knowledge. But she wanted to convey to him that she got that there was more to him and that she understood that kind of pain. "That's really...above and beyond, Troy."

Troy glanced at her uncertainly, not sure what she'd meant by the comment. "What do you mean?"

Gabriella took a slow breath. "I mean...still helping your ex's parents, trying to take care of them when she won't. That...takes a lot of character."

Troy gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter, keeping his eyes trained on the road ahead. What did she know and why did she know it? He realized she was trying to pay him a compliment, but he couldn't keep his mind from spinning off in an unpleasant direction. "They're good people."

"That's what Francesca was saying."

Nonna. Of course.

"And, Troy...for what it's worth, I'm sorry about Katherine. I know...well, I know it sucks."

Katherine. Why did she have to be part of this? Why did she have to be part of anything anymore? He could feel himself becoming more tense. "Thank you," he gritted out.

"Sure," Gabriella replied quietly. She could see the change in Troy and she wondered if she should have said anything at all.

"So, earlier, when you...hugged me and...kissed me..."

He let the words hang in the air and Gabriella waited, not sure what he was asking.

"You said that my grandma thought we were dating and that it seemed to make her so happy to think so?"

Gabriella shifted in her seat, starting to feel uncomfortable. "Yes."

"Why?"

Gabriella began to gnaw at her lower lip with her teeth. "Well...because they've been...so worried about you since..." It was Gabriella's turn to let her words hang in the air.

"I see."

All Gabriella saw was that Troy's face had hardened over the past few minutes. She shifted her eyes to the road ahead, not wanting to see that right now.

After another long pause, Troy spoke again, sarcasm in his tone. "Well, I must say, you really go above and beyond, yourself."

Gabriella felt the blush rise up on her cheeks.

"But I don't need your pity."

Gabriella's head snapped back around to stare at him open-mouthed. "But, that's not...I explained..."

"Yes, you've explained it quite well, thanks. And you most certainly made my grandmother happy, so, well done."

"Troy..."

"But as for your need to fix me or make me feel better...well, I don't need pity action. In case you haven't noticed, I have absolutely no trouble finding action on my own...and it has nothing to do with pity."

What had begun to feel like helplessness, like the base of the car falling out from beneath her, suddenly changed into something darker. Anger bubbled up within her.

"_That_...has been abundantly clear since I met you," she gritted out. "I'm glad your grandmother was happy. I liked her. She deserved that. But don't worry. We're back to the real world now...and you won't be seeing any more of my kind of action." Having said this, she turned so that her body was turned as far away from his as it could be, her knee pressed against the passenger door, her face looking out at the passing fields, not appreciating their beauty in the quickly fading light as she had on their drive out earlier in the day.

She focused on her anger, not willing to let herself feel anything more right now. Not here, where she was vulnerable. He didn't deserve to know that she had felt much more than pity...that she had kissed him more because she wanted to than because anyone else wanted her to. It had obviously been a mistake. She should have known better.

Troy watched her as she turned away from him. She was fuming, but he'd also caught a glimpse of the hurt in her eyes before they'd narrowed in anger at him. He'd gone too far. But she didn't have a right to play with him that way, even if she thought she had the best intentions doing so. Her kiss had been...all of it had been...well, he'd almost thought it was real, even though she'd told him the excuse about his grandmother. But that was before he'd known that nonna had told her all about Katherine. Then, it had clicked...made more sense why the Gabriella he'd begun to know would kiss him...and it wasn't for the reason he'd want her to kiss him...not for the reason he'd almost kissed her in the wine cellar. Troy focused once more on the road ahead. They made the remainder of the drive in tense silence.

Back at the hotel, Gabriella didn't wait for him to come around to open her door. She exited the car as soon as it had stopped and nearly power-walked her way back into the hotel, quickly entering and closing the door on the elevator she chose. Back in her room, she slumped down on her bed and stared at the bland-colored walls around her. Kicking off her sandals, she laid down on the bed on her side, pulling the extra pillow to her and holding it against her stomach as her legs curled up. Feeling the ache inside, she finally let her eyes well up and she felt a tear slide down over her cheek, landing on the pillow beneath it. Then, she felt another slide over the bridge of her nose from her other eye, following a different path over the same cheek. And she thought about why she was crying.

She shouldn't have brought Katherine up. It was obviously a sore subject and Troy had obviously read too much into it. Yes, she had felt sadness at learning what little she did of Troy's painful history with the woman. And, yes, she had liked Francesca and had wanted to let her keep her mind at ease and feel happy about the possibility of Troy moving on in a healthy way. But pity? Pity was the last thing on her mind as she'd kissed him, if it was even on her mind at all. That kiss had been...well, she didn't know if she'd ever felt a kiss so deeply, even with Michael. But it didn't matter, because obviously Troy was over it. He would no doubt be kissing someone else soon enough, if he wasn't already. He was right. He had no trouble with that. And even if she suspected now that it was just the way he had become following the end of his relationship with Katherine, it was still who he currently was and he didn't seem inclined to want to change that. So, where did that leave her?

Troy sat in his car for several minutes after she'd left. He wasn't sure if he wanted to go back inside yet or not. Deciding not, he took the car back out for a short drive on his own. At least this time the silence wasn't so harsh since it was expected. Troy hated that he had gotten defensive and been an ass. And the question that sat in the back of his mind jumped to the front to bother him throughout his drive. What if he was wrong? What if they had both felt the connection between them despite his grandmother's influence? What if his touchiness about Katherine had just made him fuck up royally? Troy groaned. What was he supposed to do now? He liked Gabriella. If nothing else, he'd enjoyed starting to become her friend. But beyond that, he'd enjoyed entertaining the possibility of being more than just her friend, and not just physically either if he was being honest with himself. But if he hadn't been wrong...well, he didn't want any of it for less than honest reasons. He'd been there and done that and it had not felt good at all. He had to figure out if he'd been right or not...because if he'd been wrong...well, if he'd been wrong, and what he'd felt in that kiss was real, then...she wanted him...and that was exactly what he'd wanted since he'd first laid eyes on her.

* * *

At dinner, Gabriella's friends questioned her about how she'd spent her afternoon. She just told them that she had spent it following a lead for her article. Seeing that she didn't seemed inclined to speak further on the matter, they moved on to different topics of conversation. Gabriella tried to chime in and laugh at some of the things that her friends were saying, but she mostly remained quiet.

"We found a local guide to take us on a wine tour this afternoon," Johanna informed her.

"Oh yeah?" she asked half-heartedly.

"Yeah, it was so fun," Jennifer chimed in.

"We wish you could have been there," Ivan said softly, studying her and wondering at her current subdued state.

"We got to visit a lovely vineyard in Montalcino," Johanna explained.

"And then, these three drank way too much at the wine cellar we visited here in Montepulciano," John joked.

"Hey!" three voices chorused.

A small smile curved Gabriella's lips, even as she noted the irony. "Sounds like fun. I'm sorry I missed it." She wasn't sure if she was sorry or not. She had very much enjoyed Francesca and she now had her human interest story. She'd learned a lot more than that though, but she wasn't sure if that was a blessing or a curse...same with the kisses. They'd been so good, but sometimes knowing what you're missing is worse than not knowing at all. Though she tried not to, Gabriella let herself hear the sounds of female laughter from the table across the room, the table where he'd chosen to sit this evening. She refused to look though and before dinner was completely through, she excused herself to head back to her room, gently persuading Ivan to stay put with the others.

Up in her room, she typed up a few article notes on her laptop and then typed out a quick, cryptic email to her friends back home.

_"So, I shopped...and now I want to buy the whole store! But I'm pretty sure it's closed now, to me, at least. Sigh._

_Love,_

_G."_

Gabriella took the time to shower and get dressed for bed, checking her email and seeing that she had a few responses from her friends:

From Sharpay: _"I knew it! I knew that boy would know what he was doing! I'm proud of you, Gab. But what went wrong? How can the store be closed? It'll be okay. Please tell us more."_

From Taylor: _"Gabs, you know I love you, but...what the hell kind of a cryptic message is that? Details, Gabs, details! And...hugs? You know we're here for you."_

From Kelsi: _"Gabi, maybe it's not. Tell us more if you want to. Proud of you though no matter what! You go, girl!"_

Gabriella felt a half-smile form on her face. She didn't really feel like responding right now, so she just shut the laptop and crawled into bed, turning out the only light she'd had on, the one above the nightstand. She closed her eyes, eventually drifting into a fitful sleep, her mind filled with a mix of the pleasurable memory of their kiss and time spent with his grandmother and the vision of his hardened face and sound of his cold words in the car.

* * *

Troy had tried to pour himself into the role of charming host at dinner. He'd noticed that Gabriella didn't look herself at dinner and he'd noticed that she also hadn't looked his way, which bothered him immensely. After sharing drinks with part of his tour group at the bar after dinner, he'd decided he'd had enough...of drinks and discord with Gabriella. So, he'd excused himself and headed back up to his room. He'd gone out onto his balcony and peered over at her room, seeing, with disappointment, that the lights were all out. Either she'd already gone to bed or she was somewhere else...and he preferred to think it was the former option, so long as she was in that bed alone.

* * *

The next morning, when Gabriella stepped out onto her balcony to snap a few photos, Troy reacted quickly and stepped outside too. He saw her body freeze for a second but then she continued on with her photos, ignoring him. He deserved that.

"Gabriella..."

She looked down, flipping back through the photos she had just taken on her camera, still pointedly ignoring him.

"I'm...sorry. Would you please look at me?"

He saw something flash across her face at his words...uncertainty? He waited a few moments and saw her slowly turn, her eyes meeting his with a bit of challenge in them. It felt a bit like six days ago except that a lot had changed since then.

"I was an ass."

"Yes, you were."

Troy's lips twitched the slightest bit. "What can I say? It...was a pride thing and I'm sorry."

"I don't _pity_ you, Troy. That's not what I was trying to say."

"I know. And that makes my reaction all the more asinine." He had thought back and remembered what she had said to him. She'd said she knew it sucked. She was probably trying to tell him about her own past hurt. She was trying to open up and he'd shut it down because he'd only been thinking of himself. He inwardly sighed. If he could get the moment back...but he couldn't, so he'd best do what he could with this one.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I thought back to what you had started to say. I think...I think you were trying to commiserate with me, not just pity me."

Gabriella met his eyes, remembering what she had started to say and why. "I was," she acknowledged.

Troy took a breath and then continued. "Well, in the interest of honesty and at the risk of making you angrier with me, I should probably tell you that I overheard a very small bit of your conversation with nonna."

Gabriella bit at her lip, looking at him searchingly. "What part?"

Troy's eyes didn't leave hers as he answered. "The part where you told her about being in love before...and about why things didn't work out."

"Oh."

"I wasn't trying to eavesdrop purposely. I just came in to get a glass of water and overheard."

"No, it's...it's okay. I was basically going to tell you that anyway."

"Thank you."

Gabriella raised her eyebrows at him.

"I mean, that you would have trusted me to tell me that."

Gabriella just shrugged, looking away uncomfortably for a moment before looking back. "Just so you know, you can trust me. I mean, what happened with your ex, it's your business and I didn't mean to intrude on that."

It was Troy's turn to look away for a moment. "I appreciate that...but may I ask how my ex came up as a topic of conversation anyway?"

Gabriella's lips curved into a small smile. "Honestly, I'm not quite sure. Your grandma was pointing out that we were both 'on our way,' whatever that means, and that she was glad that we've found each other..." Gabriella paused at this point and pressed her lips together in a humored expression, which Troy returned. "...and she just started pointing out how I was nothing like Katherine and...well, anyway, she didn't talk for too long."

"It's kind of hard to stop her once she gets going," Troy acknowledged with a grin.

"Yeah."

"So...are we okay?" Troy asked, nervous about her answer.

"I guess."

"Care to kiss and make up?" he asked jokingly, wiggling his eyebrows at her suggestively until she couldn't help but laugh. He winced dramatically.

"Your poor pride again?" Gabriella asked with humor.

"Yes. You've wounded it. You could help heal it..."

"Troy, knock it off."

Troy grinned, glad they were in a better place than they'd been last night but still not certain where they actually stood.

"Fine. We should be heading down for breakfast shortly."

"I still have some packing up to do. I'll see you down there."

"Okay."

Back in her room, Gabriella sat down at her computer and took the time to explain further in another email to the girls, except now she felt slightly better about things. Not entirely better...he'd hurt her, which meant she'd allowed him in enough to do so and she wasn't sure if that was a good idea or not. But damn if she still didn't want to kiss his contrite self this morning. 'Argh...guess we'll see how the day goes,' she thought.

* * *

They did their own thing for breakfast and chatted minimally on the bus to Spello. Once there, Italy captured Gabriella again and it was easier to focus on the sights and culture than the man instructing on them. There had apparently been an infiorata the day before, a floral event in which street tapestries made out of flower petals are displayed. As Troy led them around the narrow streets, they could see each still roped off tapestry and gather round it to examine all of its bright, modern, and dramatic intricacy. There were landscape scenes, abstract scenes, scenes of street performers, and scenes of mothers with children. One in particular stood out to Gabriella because it showed a young woman's face, done in petals and flower parts in shades of green, gold, fuschia, mauve, charcoal, and blue, the different color changes used perfectly to show the angles of the woman's face, as well as her mood. She looked a bit sad and a bit unsure, looking out in front of her but perhaps afraid to move forward...at least that's how Gabriella saw it and related to it. She was sure to take a photo since it had spoken to her.

They next moved on to Assisi, the birthplace of Saint Francis, a Catholic friar and preacher who founded the Franciscan Order in the thirteenth century. They visited the art-filled basilica there in his honor and they walked the steep, narrow cobblestone streets, popping in and out of shops and grabbing lunch at various tiny cafes.

Their next stop was Gubbio, a place where legend tells that Saint Francis, when he lived there for a time, had made peace between a ferocious wolf and the townspeople he had been terrorizing. The group had enjoyed exploring the steep streets and outlooks over the ancient rooftops and Gabriella and her friends had been amused in several postcard shops that featured extensive offerings of medieval weaponry as well as his and hers chastity belts.

"Say it ain't so, Montez. You're not considering one, are you?" Troy leaned in and joked, passing by her in one of the shops.

"No, not for me. I was thinking one might benefit you though," she shot back, hearing him chuckle as he walked away.

Shortly after shopping, they ran into Troy again at the Palazzo del Bargello, where he joined them in a unique and hilarious tradition. They each acquired a certificate of lunacy from a nearby shopkeeper after completing the ancient ritual of running around the Fontana de Pazzi (Fountain of the Crazies) three times while three locals splashed water on them. They all laughed for a long time after making fools of themselves together. Even Troy and Ivan were civil with one another during the activity.

Following the memorable Gubbio experience, the bus made the short drive to Perugia, stopping for a short visit to the world-famous Perugina Chocolate Factory. The factory provided a box of free candy for the tour group and Troy made his way among them as they walked around inside, handing out candy to each tour member. He found Gabriella and Johanna chatting and reading one of the informational signs. "Here you go, ladies," he said, handing them each a piece of wrapped candy.

"What are these?" Johanna asked.

"They're called Baci. They're chocolate kisses filled with hazelnut."

"Well, I am a fan of Hershey's kisses," Gabriella commented, working the wrapper on her piece of chocolate.

Troy looked at her with a grin. "Once you've had one of these kisses, nothing else will ever be the same again."

"Mmm...he's right. These are great," Johanna commented.

Gabriella just held Troy's gaze as she placed the chocolate in her mouth and enjoyed its rich flavors. "It's delicious," she agreed after a moment, wondering if Troy was reading anything more into her comment.

"Did you get good messages?"

Both women looked at the small messages that were included within the wrapping of their chocolates. "Mine says 'When the arrow is primed on the bow, sooner or later it must be unleashed'...hmm," Johanna said.

"Interesting. Gabriella?" Troy asked.

Gabriella looked from Troy to Johanna and back. She bit her lip briefly before realizing she was doing it. "A kiss, when all is said, what is it? 'Tis a secret told to the mouth," Gabriella read from the tiny piece of paper in her hand.

"Nice," Johanna commented.

"Yeah...nice," Troy added thoughtfully, smiling for a long moment before moving on to deliver the rest of the chocolates.

The group's travels for the day concluded as they reached their hotel, the Etruscan Chocohotel of Perugia. The hotel was entirely dedicated to chocolate. As they checked in, Gabriella took note of the lobby area, with its chocolate colored lounging chairs and tables, a decorative claw-footed tub piled high with huge chunks of chocolate in it, a chocostore selling chocolates from around the world and other chocolate lovers' merchandise, a chocobar offering varieties of hot chocolate, and other chocolate-related decor. When she received her room key, she noted that it was on a keychain that looked like a mini chocolate bar. Upon checking in, she was told that she had a gift certificate waiting for her at the hotel's spa, compliments of one Francesca Caldwell. Gabriella was touched that Francesca had thought of her and she looked forward to checking out the spa and getting in some relaxation. She got settled in her room first, noting the continued chocolate theme. Her bedspread was, of course, a shade of chocolate with the word "chocolate" written on it in a cream color over and over again in several languages. The bed's backboard resembled a chocolate bar, the curtains looked like flowing ribbons of chocolate, and the lampshades looked like they were chocolate glazed. But the best part of all was that everywhere she looked in the room, there were stashes of chocolate for her eating pleasure...wrapped chocolates on the nightstands, a bowl of unwrapped chocolates on the desk, a few candy bars on the bed, and a few more chocolates on the bathroom sink. She'd obviously arrived in chocolate heaven.

She was almost reluctant to leave it...almost. Hearing she had that gift certificate, Gabriella thought nonna was incredibly sweet. With all the walking she'd done earlier and on the trip itself so far and with all the go, go, go of the tour, not to mention the emotional ups and downs so far, she thought that some quality time at the spa could be just what she needed.

Arriving at the spa, she was led into the changing area and given a locker and a robe and slippers. Once she'd changed, an attendant had led her to the door to a room and explained that the treatment her gift certificate covered involved three separate parts, a relaxing chocolate bath, a soothing choco-massage, and then a refreshing and revitalizing rock waterfall shower. Gabriella thought it sounded like heaven until the attendant started to open the door and informed her that her boyfriend was already there. Boyfriend? Nonna? Shit!

Troy turned toward them as they entered the room, confirming Gabriella's quick realization. "Hello, darling...what took you so long?" he said, smirking at her.

* * *

Author's Note: Up next...chocolate, chocolate, and oh...chocolate. ;-) Dude, I need to hop a plane to Perugia tomorrow. Funnily enough, Valentine's Day is nearly upon us so the whole chocolate spa thing seems fitting despite the fact that when I'd envisioned it some time ago, I had no idea it'd be coming out around Valentine's Day. :-) Well, I know this is kind of a cruel place to stop, but it _is_ another chapter, so that's a plus...my *intentions* are to get up the next chapter by V-Day or sooner, so we'll see...


	15. Chapter 15

**Escape to Love Chapter 15**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**TOUR INFO:** Still Day 10 (and keep in mind, as tour days go, Gabriella and Troy met on Day 2 because she arrived late)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Happy Valentine's Day, all! (With any luck, it is either Valentine's Day where you are or the day before.)

* * *

**Previously:**

Arriving at the spa, she was led into the changing area and given a locker and a robe and slippers. Once she'd changed, an attendant had led her to the door to a room and explained that the treatment her gift certificate covered involved three separate parts, a relaxing chocolate bath, a soothing choco-massage, and then a refreshing and revitalizing rock waterfall shower. Gabriella thought it sounded like heaven until the attendant started to open the door and informed her that her boyfriend was already there. Boyfriend? Nonna? Shit!

Troy turned toward them as they entered the room, confirming Gabriella's quick realization. "Hello, darling...what took you so long?" he said, smirking at her.

* * *

'Okay, perhaps she's not finding the humor in this situation quite like I am,' Troy thought, seeing the irritation on her face.

"Well, _honey_, I did _not_ know you were waiting on me."

"Well, it's kind of hard to get started on the couples' romance package without the other half of the couple, _sweetie_."

Gabriella forced a smile as the attendant was beginning to look at them strangely. Another attendant was already in the room and was just finishing up filling a big whirlpool bathtub with hot liquid chocolate. Gabriella looked around and saw that the room was decorated for romance. There were red roses in mini vases along the wall and red rose petals scattered along the floor surrounding the central tub. The lights were dimmed low and there were candles lit around the room. A bucket was set up next to the tub, chilling champagne. Soft instrumental music was playing as well, completing the atmosphere.

"We'll leave you to indulge and enjoy the serenity of the choco-bath and its powers of relaxation," one of the attendants said, turning with the other and exiting the room, adding on the way out that they'd come back in 30 minutes or so to check on them.

As soon as the door was shut, Gabriella wheeled around and spoke. "You knew about this?"

"Only once I got here," Troy answered, moving to open the bottle of champagne for them.

"And you let them set this up for us?" Gabriella asked, nearly jumping at the sound of the cork popping off the champagne bottle.

"It sounded like an awesome package and nonna must have pulled some strings to get it because it's not easy to get a reservation here. I think she knows the manager's parents though. Besides, I didn't see you doing anything to stop them."

"Well, I...needed more background information first," Gabriella defended. "Obviously, one of us is going to have to go tell them."

"And then what? Miss out on this?" Troy said disbelievingly, extending his arm out over the tub in front of them, before pouring champagne into the two glasses provided for them on the edge of the tub.

"Well...maybe we can just enjoy it in separate rooms or something."

"You did hear me say how hard it is to get a reservation, right? All the rooms are booked up all the time. Everyone wants the chocolate experience. Everyone but you, apparently."

"That's not fair. I have no intention of getting naked with you, Bolton and I don't appreciate being ambushed."

Troy groaned. "I didn't ambush you; nonna did. And suit yourself, but I'm going to enjoy this," Troy said, taking a step toward the tub and bringing his hands to the tied belt of his robe.

Gabriella was sure her face was now turning beet red as she let out an involuntary gasp and turned her back to him swiftly. Waiting a few moments, she heard him step into the liquid and sit down.

"What happened to not being virginal?"

"Shut up, Troy."

"We're both adults, Gabriella. There's plenty of room in here and the chocolate hides everything anyway."

Gabriella slowly turned and saw that he was right. She couldn't see anything but the thick chocolate and it came up high on his chest.

"What's the big deal?" Troy continued. "You're not attracted to me, right? We faked being a couple yesterday. Why can't we just do so for another couple hours?"

'Because you're naked and I am attracted to you, you idiot!' her mind screamed; however, a stubborn "Fine!" is what came out of her mouth.

Huh. He'd won. Well, except for the part where she hadn't refuted his comment about her not being attracted to him. Not verbally anyway. Her body language seemed to be telling a different story.

"Close your eyes and keep them closed," Gabriella ordered testily.

His lips curving upward, Troy did as she asked and heard her step into the tub and felt the liquid displace as she sat down.

"It's okay. You can open them now," she said after a minute.

Troy did so and saw that she was now sitting across from him, on the opposite seat the tub provided. The chocolate came up to her neck. She had used one of the clips provided on the counter in the room to pile her hair up on top of her head messily.

Troy handed her one of the champagne glasses and kept one for himself. "Chocolate suits you, Montez," he said in a low, humored voice, receiving an eye roll in response. They sat there in silence for another moment.

"This is...weird...but kind of relaxing," Gabriella commented, taking a sip of her champagne.

"Certainly smells good," Troy commented, sipping his as well.

"Definitely."

"You know, this isn't all that different from the other night when you blew the fuse," Troy said. "We're just as covered now as we were then."

'But we hadn't kissed,' Gabriella thought, wondering if he would read her mind as she thought it. She just gave a half shrug in response, careful not to shift too much and reveal anything.

Troy watched her carefully. He felt like that morning she had confirmed what he had already determined, that she didn't necessarily kiss him out of pity. So, was it only for his nonna's sake? He'd suspected since the other night that she was attracted to him, so now that his mind was once again uncluttered with Katherine baggage, he was really starting to think that, while nonna had provided the perfect excuse, she had actually wanted to kiss him anyway. And given the way she had kissed him, it seemed there was a very good chance she had felt the connection as much as he had.

When he'd gotten to the spa and realized nonna's gift was actually this couples' experience, he'd been not only amused but excited by the prospect. It's not that he had expected Gabriella to throw her robe off and throw her naked self at him or anything...though, if by some miracle, that should happen, he certainly wouldn't complain! He had just figured that the intimate setting might afford him an interesting opportunity to further figure out just what she was feeling for him...and to maybe help her figure it out too.

"So, um, in case it's a white elephant in the room or anything," Troy began, "I'll just say that, for what it's worth, yesterday was fun...until the part where I became an ass, that is."

He sounded so sincere that she couldn't help herself, she laughed. "Okay, I think we've established your assdom. We can move on."

Troy smiled at this. "Thank you."

"Sure. And, for what it's worth, I agree. It was fun."

"We get to do it again in a couple weeks," Troy reminded.

Gabriella stared back at him curiously. "Are you sure you want to? I mean, I know Francesca made us promise but will it be too odd or more troublesome for you in the long run with everyone else once I'm gone?"

Troy felt a pang of...something...hearing her talk about being gone. It was true. Whatever this was now, the reality was that they lived in two separate countries and she was only visiting his for a few more weeks. Of course, he also knew from experience that that could be overcome...but he was getting way ahead of himself.

"Yeah, it'll be fine," he answered, not at all sure it would be but unwilling to forfeit the chance to be the way he'd been with her yesterday again.

"Okay," Gabriella answered, also not sure it would be and not wanting to think of getting on that plane at the end of the trip.

"Can I say something honestly without you getting annoyed with me and thinking I have a specific agenda or something?"

Gabriella's eyes widened at the question. She swallowed uneasily and then answered. "Yes."

"When you kissed me, it was completely unexpected..."

"I don't normally do that kind of thing...so brazenly I mean..."

"Maybe you should."

Gabriella's mouth dropped open slightly.

"What I mean is...you're very good at it. That kiss was...hot...memorable. You, um, know what you're doing.".

"Oh...thank you," Gabriella said, processing the compliment and wondering if the chocolate had actually gotten a bit hotter or if it was just sitting here with him talking about this. "You do too," she added softly.

They held each other's gaze for several moments, both uncertain about where the other stood. True, they'd complimented each other on the kiss but there had been circumstances that had led to it. Off the vineyard, were they still just Troy and Gabriella, new friends?

"So, girlfriend of mine, don't you think I should know you a little better?" Troy said, deciding to push the envelope a bit further.

Gabriella eyed him cautiously. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Well, for today but more so for the next time we're at the vineyard, shouldn't we get more comfortable with each other, know more about each other...you know, act the part?"

"What exactly did you have in mind?" Gabriella asked, still wary.

"Mmm...a game of truth or truth, I suppose...unless you'd be up for dares."

"Truth will be just fine, thanks."

Troy chuckled. "Alright, easy one to start. Do you have any pets?"

Gabriella relaxed slightly. "No. I'd love to have a dog someday but apartment life just isn't ideal for that."

"True. Did you have one growing up?"

"Yeah, we had a Golden Retriever when I was a little girl. She was with us until I was thirteen, but when she passed away, my parents just didn't get a new one."

"Sucks, doesn't it? Losing them?"

"Yeah."

"But the time having them is great." Gabriella nodded and smiled. "We had a German Shepherd and a yellow Lab...not at the same time...Scout and Max."

"Our dog was named Sadie," Gabriella contributed and Troy smiled. "So, you don't have any pets now either?"

"No...same thing with the apartment life. Would love a dog again someday too though." Troy paused, smiled, and then said "Okay, your turn."

"Hmm...probably a stupid question, but do you like living in Italy?"

"Yeah, I do. It has some bittersweet memories for me, but I do feel at home here."

"What's your favorite thing about living here?"

"Well, aside from being near family, I just love all the country has to offer. Sometimes I'm feeling the fast-paced night life in Rome. Other times, it's a quiet sunrise in Florence. I can surf off the coast or hike through Cinqueterre or hang out at one of the lakes or just hang out at a street cafe and watch people for hours. There's a lot of visual and creative appeal here...sometimes, the country itself just feels kind of..."

"Magical?"

Troy smiled at this description. "Yeah."

"Like with the flower tapestries this morning...and Assisi with its hills just rising and rising..."

"Mmmhmm. And of course, there's the food...I mean, as a favorite thing here."

"Of course."

"I don't know. I guess all of the same could be said about the states too...lots of options and different countries have their own uniquenesses. But yeah, I do like living here."

"What do you miss most about the U.S.?"

"Hmm...this is so unhealthy, but fast food...it's just not the same here."

Gabriella laughed.

"And...certain places...Santa Monica Pier, the mission and beaches in Santa Barbara and just walking along State Street, Yosemite. Lakers and Giants games. Some old friends too."

"Do you think you'll ever move back?"

"I don't know. I certainly know how to do the moving across the world thing...I'd never rule it out. Think you'll ever live anywhere but Chicago?"

"I'd never rule it out," Gabriella said, echoing his statement. "I guess you never know where life will take you."

Troy nodded. "Okay, this is so cliche but what's your idea of a perfect date?"

Gabriella thought for a moment."I don't know if I have one perfect scenario in mind, but I think...well, I think that a perfect date has much less to do with what's happening than who it's happening with. If you are completely clicking and there's chemistry and neither of you wants the date to end, I think that's pretty perfect."

Troy was really starting to think she was pretty perfect.

"My turn. Do you want kids someday?" Gabriella asked.

"Yes. You?"

"Definitely." Troy paused before continuing. "Alright, Montez, what do you find most attractive about me? I mean, theoretically, since you don't actually find me attractive."

"Stop fishing."

"What? It's a valid question...one of those 'so, what drew you to Troy?' kind of questions that could come up at my mom's party."

"Fine. You're passionate."

Troy raised his eyebrows at her.

"I don't mean like that specifically. I mean...you seem passionate about Italy and photography and your family's vineyard. It's an attractive quality."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I guess maybe because a man who can care that much about those things, appreciate them so much...could care that much for you. I don't know...your interests also make you seem romantic, intelligent, loyal, and creative...good qualities."

"Hmm...and here I thought you were just going to say my stunning good looks," Troy joked.

"You're impossible."

"Not really. I promise."

"Fine, I'll tell them I saw your baby blues, your killer smile and your washboard abs and I swooned right then and there."

"Did you?"

"Do you recall me swooning or slamming a door in your face?"

Troy let out a hearty laugh at this. "You definitely left an impression."

Gabriella grinned. "Is it my turn?"

"Yes."

"Okay...why did you compete to win the dance with me the other night? Just for the fun? Just to piss Ivan off?"

Troy bit the inside of his lip for a moment before answering."I don't know...a combination of those things maybe...and maybe I just wanted to dance with you. I don't know. When they said to step forward, I just did. I didn't examine my reasons for it."

"Okay."

"Are you going to give Ivan a chance?"

"I don't know."

"Why? What's holding you back?"

Gabriella looked at the flowers on the wall and then looked back at Troy. "Ivan is a great guy, the kind you could feel privileged taking home to your parents, the kind who would probably be loyal to a fault with you. But I'm just not sure...I don't know yet if there's anything but friendship there."

"Just as well."

"Why?"

"Because this tub's not big enough for three of us."

"Ha. Ha. My turn." Gabriella paused before asking her next question, hoping it didn't annoy him but wanting to know his answer. "Do you plan to do the whole playboy thing forever?"

"No." Troy was surprised at how quickly and easily that answer had come. He left it at that though. "What did Sharpay pack for you, really?" he asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

Gabriella hadn't been expecting that question. Her cheeks colored slightly as she answered more specifically this time. "Lingerie and condoms."

Troy's eyes grew bigger at the admission and he looked fairly amused. "Well, she's rather thoughtful, isn't she?"

"Something like that," Gabriella answered dryly.

"Did she at least pack good ones...thin, ribbed, whatever does it for ya?"

"It's a variety pack."

"Nice."

"Moving on...um, Salma Hayek or Penelope Cruz?"

"Penelope...back to the variety pack...when's the last time you needed any?"

'Sex or condoms?' she could've asked, but she knew he meant the latter specifically. "Apparently I have with you, or so your nonna thinks. Her idea of taking things slowly is obviously a bit different than mine."

"Way to evade."

Gabriella blew out a breath. "Fine. Five months ago. And you, Mr. Nosy? You are at least safe, aren't you?" 'Ugh. Why did I ask? I don't want to think about that.'

"Eight days ago, and, of course."

Gabriella didn't disguise the surprise on her face. "Why? I mean...I just thought..." She let the remainder of that sentence hang in the air.

Troy smirked at her. "You thought?"

"Well, I mean, I wasn't actively thinking about it," she lied. "I just meant, well, you seem...in demand."

Troy laughed and then looked into the chocolate eyes that seemed more interested in his answer than their owner would want to let on. "I met you..."

Gabriella's heart skipped a beat.

"...and you started to make me think about my behavior. And...I just haven't been interested."

"Just Stephanie and Bridget then?"

"No, just Stephanie."

"But I heard...and you said..."

"You heard our drunken selves fall into a dresser and hop around in pain...and I didn't have any reason not to let you believe otherwise. You were being...incredibly irritating."

"So were you," Gabriella responded, a touch of humor in her voice as she thought back to their first balcony encounter. She took the last sip in her champagne glass, considering what she'd just learned. Not that she was fond of the idea of he and Stephanie having sex, and so soon into the trip too, but if she really did make him think enough to have gotten him not to sleep with anyone else since...well...wow. She couldn't deny to herself that she felt pleased about that.

Troy noticed that Gabriella seemed pleasantly surprised by his answer. He had been taking it as a day by day thing, not necessarily consciously making a decision to not have sex with anyone else or to not do so for so many days or anything like that. But, seeing her reaction made him glad he had been abstaining. He reached behind him and retrieved the champagne bottle, refilling both of their glasses.

"Okay, fill in the blank," he said. "Nothing turns me on more than...?"

Gabriella bit her lip for a moment before answering. "...a guy who can figure out what turns me on."

Troy licked his lower lip and grinned, shaking his head at her slightly. "Nothing turns me off more than...?"

"Being lied to, sharing someone and not knowing I'm sharing them...or, maybe just sharing someone at all, and...strong onion breath. It happens, I realize. I'm just sayin'...doesn't make for a great kissing experience."

"What does?"

Gabriella stared back at him, considering the way he was looking at her...with more than just passing interest. "Uh, uh. It's my turn to ask the question."

Troy gave her a little upside down grin and lifted his hand in a gesture for her to go ahead.

"What's the silliest thing you've ever done to impress a girl?"

Troy pursed his lips for a few moments, thinking. "I tried to be goth for about a week in junior high."

Gabriella laughed. "Can't picture it."

"Yeah. She couldn't picture herself with me, goth or not."

Gabriella produced a playful pout. "Sorry."

"It's fine. I've...gotten over it. I think. Actually, I may just cry now, thank you very much."

Gabriella laughed some more, stretching her leg out beneath the dark liquid and kicking him lightly. Then, her eyes widened as she realized what she was doing. She was flirting with him.

As her leg brushed against his, Troy felt the electricity of that simple action. As he felt the jolt elsewhere too, he wondered if this had been a good idea after all. Given that they had just minutes left before the attendants would be coming back, and given that he didn't think they'd made _that_ much progress, there was no way this bath was going to do anything but cause tension, albeit of a pleasurable sort. 'Mind over matter, Troy,' he thought.

Still, like the glutton for punishment he was, he thought he'd make things just a bit more difficult for himself. Grabbing his champagne glass, he pushed himself across the tub and slid in next to her. With surprise, she shifted further over on the seat, effectively sitting up a bit straighter too, such that her shoulders emerged from the chocolate.

"Troy, what are you doing?"

"Playing the part...sitting next to my girlfriend." Troy shot a glance at the clock on the wall. "They should be coming back soon."

"Oh."

Troy smiled at her and she allowed him to sling a chocolate covered arm over her shoulder, both of them laughing at the craziness of that.

As their laughter died down, Troy's eyes drifted over her face, seeing the slight flush there, down over the slope of her small chin to her delicate neck, collar bone, and shoulder, chocolate still clinging there, though these areas were currently above the surface. What was still below the surface utterly teased him, but he was willing to wait to see it till she was ready. But anything uncovered...was fair game.

"Did you mean what you said earlier about what turns you on?" he asked in a quiet, smooth voice...almost a whisper as he leaned in closer to her as he said it.

Gabriella felt a shiver that she knew had nothing to do with the chocolate bath, which remained heated by the tub. "Yes," she answered slowly.

"Good," Troy said, giving her a smoldering look before letting his eyes run over an area of her neck that had some lingering chocolate. He began to lower his head.

"What are you doing?" Gabriella asked in what, embarrassingly enough, sounded like nothing more than a loud whisper...hardly a protest.

Troy paused for a moment, lips so close to her neck that she could feel his hot breath as he answered her. "Figuring it out."

Gabriella's eyes closed in pleasure as his lips enclosed an area of the sensitive skin of her neck and moments later, she could feel his tongue dart out to lick a bit of the chocolate there. This couldn't be a good idea. But as he began a slow trail of kisses from her neck to her shoulder, she reasoned that the damage was already done and they were bound to be interrupted any moment anyway, so there was no point in dramatically stopping this.

As if the universe felt the need to confirm this line of thinking, they heard a brief knock on the door before it opened and the two attendants re-entered. Gabriella opened her eyes and saw Troy smiling at her sultrily. She noticed a bit of chocolate on his nose and at the corner of his lips and tried not to laugh.

"How have you both been enjoying the bath?" the one attendant asked.

"It's been very enjoyable, thank you," Gabriella answered in typical polite Gabriella fashion, realizing belatedly that she might be sending Troy the same message. Not that it wasn't true...

"Glad to hear it. We've set up the tables for your massage in the adjacent room. We'll give you a few minutes to finish up here, put your robes on, and come next door. Just use that door."

Gabriella looked amused when she saw the other attendant bring a warm washcloth to Troy in case he wanted to wipe off some of the chocolate on his face. "Sorry," he said to her, accepting the cloth. "After while, I just couldn't resist a taste." This last bit was said while glancing at Gabriella, making it clear he was referring to more than the temptation of the chocolate. The attendant just gave them both a knowing smile and walked through to the other room, pulling the door shut behind her.

Gabriella looked at Troy nervously. He was watching her closely, his lips curved and his eyes sparkling in the candlelight. "What?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing. Just taking mental notes. I'm very studious."

Gabriella didn't know how to respond to that so she just tried to pull her thoughts together and said "we should probably get out of the tub now."

Troy's lips curved higher. "Ladies first."

Gabriella considered. Either way they did this, she had to keep trusting him. She looked at him pointedly until he closed his eyes. "Keep 'em shut, Bolton."

"Yes, dear," Troy said with mirth.

Gabriella watched him carefully as she got out of the tub and slipped her robe back on. She thought it was a good thing the robes were brown, as she couldn't imagine washing chocolate out of a bunch of white ones.

"Okay. I'm gonna go get on one of the tables next door. Just wait a minute before following me, okay?"

"Whatever you like, Gabriella," Troy said, opening his eyes and smiling up at her from the tub.

She studied his face a moment before turning and walking to the door the attendant had indicated, opening it and disappearing through it. When Troy entered the adjacent room a few minutes later, Gabriella was already lying face down on one of the tables, covered to her shoulders in a sheet. He swiftly shed his robe and lay down on the other table, pulling the sheet up over himself as well. A moment later, the attendants re-entered the room and commenced their massages.

It was an interesting mix of sensations, having more warm chocolate massaged into their skin, feeling the creamy smoothness of it with the soothing pressure of the hands applying it and also getting new whiffs of the heavenly scent to overwhelm their senses every few minutes. All said though, they both found it hard not to split their focus between the relaxing treatment they were receiving and the not quite relaxing thoughts that were swirling through their heads.

Troy was thinking again about the taste of her and about the way she'd reacted to his kisses. She'd definitely liked them, if the way her head had tilted back unconsciously to give him better access and the way her eyes had been lazily closed and her lips slightly parted when he'd first pulled back were any indication. But was it reactionary or something she would actively seek?

Gabriella's head was spinning, from the conversation they'd been having as well as that brief minute when his lips had sent her senses reeling. He was so easy to talk to, even in this odd and naturally uncomfortable situation. But why had she told him about the lingerie and condoms and how long it had been? Did he think she was screaming out a sexual S.O.S. to him? She felt her cheeks warm at the thought...and the thought that followed, that maybe she was.

Troy couldn't help but envy Gabriella's attendant...he wished it were his hands kneading that smooth skin right now. Of course, he'd alternate rubbing that chocolate in and taking his time licking it off... 'Shit, Bolton! Stop thinking like that! You're going to have to flip over onto your back soon and then you'll end up tenting the sheet and freaking three women out.' Troy's brain spun off in a new direction in which Gabriella asked the other women to leave and then came over and climbed on top of him brazenly. 'Damn it!' he thought. 'Also not helpful!'

Had he really turned down opportunities for sex these past eight days because of what she'd said to him? Did he really think she was a good kisser? Gabriella turned over beneath the sheet when the attendant asked her to. If the attendants left them alone again, would he come over to her table and figure out what else turned her on? But what if she didn't measure up to Stephanie or Katherine or any of the other women Troy had been with? She was not inexperienced, certainly, but she also had always been in some form of relationship before when she'd gotten physical with a guy. But maybe it was time to liberate herself from that. Maybe she should consider some method acting in preparation for their upcoming act back at the vineyard.

'Roadkill, baboon butts, mom and dad making out...aw, that did it,' Troy thought, glad a minute later when the attendant asked him to turn over that he had successfully made himself presentable once more. He concentrated on the muscles that were being plied and loosened, on the relaxation he was supposed to feel. He focused on breathing in and out. He didn't allow himself to focus on not being alone in that room.

Gabriella was still Gabriella. She wasn't going to end this massage and then walk over to Troy and press her naked self to him. She just wasn't. She didn't make decisions like that quickly or lightly. For better or worse. She was not getting the relaxation here she had so happily anticipated earlier. She focused on her slow breathing and on the way her muscles were being soothed. She pretended she was in a normal massage situation and she allowed herself to drift into that for the remainder of the experience.

As the attendants finished up their massages, they spoke quietly to each of them, letting them know they could take their time getting up and that once they did, they could use the door on the other side of the room marked "Waterfall Shower" to experience the third and final part of their treatment to feel revitalized and refreshed and to wash away the remaining chocolate from their bodies. Fresh bathrobes awaited them inside the shower room. They said that they would wait outside the massage room door and would escort them back to the locker rooms when they were ready.

Troy and Gabriella remained silent for a few moments after the attendants had exited the room. "Can you move yet?" Troy joked, breaking the silence.

Gabriella smiled. "No, you?"

"No."

They lay there for a few more silent moments, just enjoying the serenity they'd both finally reached to some extent. Finally, Gabriella sighed and spoke again. "Do you want to go first?"

"That wouldn't be very gallant of me, would it?"

"It would actually. I don't feel like getting up just yet," she said, grinning as she said it, still lying with her eyes closed.

Troy chuckled. "Fine. I'll bite the bullet and go check it out." Having said this, he slowly opened his eyes, letting them readjust to the light in the room. Then, he swung his legs off the side of the table and stood up, not being able to resist glancing her way and seeing her peaceful, smiling face and the way the sheet draped over her, just tempting him with what was beneath it. He forced his eyes to find the door to the waterfall shower and swiftly made his way over to it. "Gabriella!" he called a minute later.

Gabriella lay there with her eyes still closed, scrunching her face up in confusion as she heard him call to her. "Um, yes?"

"There are two separate sides. You can shower right now too."

"Oh," Gabriella replied, feeling eloquent as ever. She went through the same slow process as Troy as she revived herself enough to rise from the table. Looking around, she noticed that Troy's used robe was still lying across a nearby chair. He hadn't bothered to use it to enter the shower room. Gabriella, on the other hand, retrieved hers from the hook she'd hung it on and wrapped it around her before making her way over to the room. "So, if I come in right now, I won't see you?"

Troy chuckled. "No, and I won't see you either."

Gabriella paused a moment and then peered into the room. Troy wasn't lying. There was a wooden bench going around the outer wall and some hooks above it, where she saw one robe hanging on the side closest to her. She couldn't see the whole way around, but figured Troy's fresh robe was hanging on the side she couldn't see. The shower consisted of a huge rock formation in the middle with a smooth rock floor as well. Several waterfalls of water, including one larger one flowed down over the rock, with enough arc to create one of the most interesting showers she'd ever seen. She guessed the water must also be flowing on the other side...convenient. She wondered, with humor, if anyone else had ever ended up in this tricky situation thanks to a well-intentioned but meddling grandmother. She discarded her used robe on the bench next to her and then stepped forward into the shower. It was a minute before she heard Troy speak again.

"Nice, isn't it?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah. I want one of these at home," she answered.

"Me too."

Troy considered picking up their truth or truth questions along the same interesting vein they'd begun to take before their massages, but the water in this shower was only one temperature and it wasn't cold...and he'd need it to be cold if they went down that road...because he didn't really think Gabriella was about to surprise him and walk over to his side of the shower.

"So, you've enjoyed the spa stuff despite my being here?" he asked instead.

Gabriella thought about this as she let the water flow down over her, enjoying the refreshing feel of it. "Yes."

"Good. I have too."

"Do you think we're going to smell like chocolate for days?" Gabriella asked, trying to keep the conversation light, trying not to think about how very naked they both were.

"Possibly. Would that be so bad though?"

"No. Not bad at all."

"Are you excited about moving on to Rome tomorrow?"

"Definitely. There's so much I want to see there. Do you visit Rome often?"

"Not as often as other places, but I do teach there sometimes plus I have some friends there too."

"Oh, hey, speaking of your friends, did they come pick your car back up from our last hotel?" Gabriella asked curiously, realizing she hadn't even thought about it till now.

"Oh. Yeah. They did."

"Cool."

Troy was pre-occupied. It was nice to be chatting lightly with Gabriella but there was also the matter of his lips having been attached to her neck an hour ago. He just didn't exactly want them to forget that.

"Gabriella..." he began.

"Hmm?" she responded unsuspectingly, having gotten used to their light conversation.

"About earlier..."

Gabriella opened her eyes, alert now.

"I'd like to keep figuring it out."

The statement hung in the air for a moment.

"I won't do anything you don't want me to though," Troy assured.

"Troy, I..."

Troy waited to hear the rest of that sentence. He heard movement on the other side of the wall and wondered if he could actually be that lucky.

"...um...thank you. I'm gonna head out now."

'What?' Troy thought, completely befuddled by this woman.

'What?' Gabriella thought, as she walked swiftly from the shower room and to the massage room door, having exited the shower and put on her robe once she had started to attempt to form an answer. 'Thank you? Oh, geez, Gabriella!'

She stepped outside and followed the attendant back to the locker room area, where she got dressed once more and headed back up toward her room. On her way, she ran into Jennifer, who asked if she'd come have a hot cocoa with her at the choco-bar. Needing some distraction, Gabriella agreed and the two made there way there, pulling up stools and sipping from the delectable drinks whilst making small talk.

"So, are you enjoying the hotel so far?" Jennifer asked.

"Oh...yes, of course. How could I not love a place with this much chocolate?" Gabriella answered, hoping her face didn't convey anything more than that light observation.

Jennifer narrowed her eyes slightly at Gabriella, studying her. "Are you okay, Gabriella? Is there anything you want to talk about?"

Gabriella gave her a small smile, grateful for her sweet personality but not sure where to begin.

"Orrrrr, maybe you two want to talk about something," Jennifer said, her eyes caught by something over Gabriella's shoulder, or someone rather.

Gabriella jerked her head around to see what Jennifer was looking at and her eyes widened as she saw Troy striding purposefully toward them.

"Hey, Troy!" Jennifer greeted.

"Hey, Jennifer. I hope this isn't too rude, but do you mind if I talk with Gabriella for a moment?"

Jennifer's own eyes widened slightly at this, but she smiled in response, glancing at Gabriella briefly before turning her eyes back to Troy. "No, no problem. I've been meaning to check out the store anyway. I'll be back in a few."

"Thanks."

As Jennifer walked away, Troy slid onto a stool next to Gabriella. "Um...you're welcome?" he said, sounding confused and slightly irritated.

Gabriella stared down into her mug. "Troy...I...sorry," she said, daring to look up and meet his eyes a moment later.

"Gabriella, if you don't want..."

"I don't know what I want."

Troy raised his eyebrows slightly at this. "Okay," he said slowly.

Gabriella took a breath and thought about what she wanted to say. "Troy, I _am_ attracted to you." There, she'd said it out loud.

Troy's lips curved up into a smile that most definitely reached his eyes. And then it faltered slightly. "But?"

"But...I need time. I'm not trying to play games or anything. I just...well, I didn't expect to come on this trip and meet guys and..."

'Ivan. Ugh,' Troy thought.

"...well, please just let me consider..."

"Okay. I meant what I said. I won't do anything you don't want me to." Troy slid down from the stool, trying to do the gentlemanly thing and give her her space. He couldn't resist one last parting argument in his favor though.

Gabriella gave him a small smile and then bit her lip as she saw him lean in toward her ear. "But...I promise you...I could figure it _all_ out." Having said this in the sexiest voice Gabriella had ever heard, Troy brushed his lips so lightly against her ear she wondered if she'd imagined it and then pulled back, shooting her a sexy smile before turning and walking in the direction of the elevators.

* * *

Author's Note: In good conscience, I feel the need to point out that, unless I'm missing it, the Chocohotel does not have a spa with these services...I have no idea why because HELLO, how many folks would pay to do this and how appropriate would it be to offer it? But anyway, just didn't want anyone to hop a plane and be disappointed by that...everything else in the hotel's description is pretty accurate though. Still very awesome. Anyway, go have great Valentine's Days and think of Troy "figuring it out." ;-D Mwah! -Mel


	16. Chapter 16

**Escape to Love Chapter 16**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you.

**TOUR INFO:** Still Day 10, then Day 11

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Well, in the interest of getting this chapter posted for you, my lovely readers and reviewers, let me just say here that I'm so glad 1) you find Troy to be pretty damn sexy, 2) you enjoy their sexual tension, 3) you're not too attached to Ivan (haha), and 4) you want Troy to get to figuring things out. :-D Thanks for everyone who asked about or wished me a Happy Valentine's Day. My Troy did just fine, so it was good. ;-) Well, read on and enjoy!

* * *

**Previously:**

"Okay. I meant what I said. I won't do anything you don't want me to." Troy slid down from the stool, trying to do the gentlemanly thing and give her her space. He couldn't resist one last parting argument in his favor though.

Gabriella gave him a small smile and then bit her lip as she saw him lean in toward her ear. "But...I promise you...I could figure it _all_ out." Having said this in the sexiest voice Gabriella had ever heard, Troy brushed his lips so lightly against her ear she wondered if she'd imagined it and then pulled back, shooting her a sexy smile before turning and walking in the direction of the elevators.

* * *

Gabriella stared after him, feeling off-balance like she might just fall off her stool and half-tempted, no, make that fully-tempted, to jump off it and run after him. She vaguely heard some shuffling from her other side.

"Okay, girl, dish!" Jennifer said, sliding back onto her stool next to Gabriella, who turned to her, blinking and trying to refocus her attention. Once she'd done so and processed what Jennifer had said, feeling in need of some serious girl talk, Gabriella did just that.

"Wow! You...have such a tough life, girl," Jennifer teased.

"Thanks. Very helpful," Gabriella responded sourly.

"Oh, come on. I couldn't resist. Here I am basically out of the game, so your current dilemma just seems pretty damn exciting to me."

Gabriella gave her another look and took another sip of her cocoa.

"Alright, alright. I'll try to be more helpful. So, let's see. Ivan's kisses have been nice, but Troy's make you want to lock yourself in a room with him and film your own porno?"

Gabriella nearly choked on the sip she'd just taken. The server manning the bar kept his eyes carefully trained on the restocking task he was performing but she saw the corners of his lips twitch with amusement.

"Sorry. I can be a bit crass sometimes," Jennifer apologized.

"It's okay. Not exactly how I'd phrase it, but yeah, essentially."

And this is a difficult choice because...Ivan's a safe, potential future and Troy's a wildcard?"

"Kind of, yeah."

"Well, answer me this. Did you come on this trip to meet your future husband?"

"Well...no. I came to appease my friends, to see another part of the world, to have an adventure and write about it in an article sure to impress my boss and hopefully others, and to maybe get out of my funk a little."

"Okay..."

"But what if my future husband is right here in front of me and I miss it because I choose reckless fun?"

"What if he is and you don't miss it because you choose fun?"

"What? Troy?"

"You said yourself he's not the guy you thought he was. He's been in a committed relationship and by all accounts, he wasn't the one who screwed it up."

"True, but..."

"Look, maybe it's weird that I'm the one saying this but maybe neither is a future husband and maybe that's okay. In fact, it's totally okay, isn't it, if that's not why you came anyway? Maybe you should just have fun and anything else can fall into place on its own if it's going to. I mean, it's not the 1950s. A girl's only goal doesn't have to be just to find a husband."

"Says the girl getting married soon."

"Yes, but I didn't set out looking for that. It found me."

"So, you think I should give Troy a chance?"

"No, I think _you_ think that. What I think is that you should do what you want to do, whether it's with Ivan, Troy, Stephanie..."

"Ha. Ha."

Jennifer grinned. "Someone else, or no one...or some combination of the above as long as they know that's what you're doing."

"You're right. I need to figure this out and I need to be fair."

Jennifer smiled at her. "And you need to have fun, one way or the other."

Gabriella smiled in return and Jennifer spoke again in a cheerful, encouraging voice. "You're gonna be alright, girl...and you're gonna tell me all about it so I can live vicariously through you!"

Gabriella laughed. "Thanks for helping me think this through."

"Sure, but my best advice is to think if you need to but to also give yourself a deadline to stop thinking and start doing."

"Okay. I get it. Thank you."

"Of course. Now, come on. We need to follow this chocolate up with more chocolate," Jennifer joked, as the two left the choco-bar and headed upstairs to their rooms to get ready for dinner.

* * *

At dinner, they did just that. The hotel's elegant restaurant offered options from a Choco Menu and a regular menu. Naturally, Gabriella and her friends chose the Choco Menu, enjoying Ricotta Cheese patty-cake with Chocolate Drops, Pods and Sweet Peppers Cream, Noodles with Cocoa, Courgettes, Courgette blossoms and Castelmagno Cheese flakes, Rabbit with pistachios and chocolate, Baked envy with Norcia's Ham, and Chocolate patty-cake with vanilla flavoured cream, along with suggested wines from the menu. The meal was delicious.

Troy had made eye contact with Gabriella and smiled as she'd entered the dining room and at different points throughout the meal, but he had chosen to sit with two of the married couples for the meal. Gabriella appreciated that. She didn't know how much thought he'd actually put into it, but she liked to think he had purposely chosen not to sit with his younger, single fan club and also that he had chosen not to sit with her group so that she could have her time to think.

After dinner, Jennifer suggested they all go take advantage of the rooftop pool, so that's where they found themselves not long after. It was rather beautiful up there, with not only the lights by the pool but also a garden terrace area, complete with green turf and lawn chairs. Apparently, more folks from their group had decided to come enjoy the evening up there as well, including Troy and the couples he'd been sitting with. Again, as she'd waded into the pool, he'd made eye contact with her but had left it at that. Ivan, on the other hand, seemed interested in more than eye contact. It was poorly disguised as playful pool fun but as he grabbed her around the waist to lift her up and dunk her under the water, she felt nothing but a mix of apprehension and irritation in knowing she was about to be dunked. She didn't feel any joy or excitement in the physical contact. She tried to laugh but she knew nothing about it was the real flirtatious giggling that could result from this type of situation. And if she couldn't feel any of that now, would it really be something she could feel later on? It seemed unlikely.

* * *

As if the air around her had changed, she sensed his presence...not Ivan, but Troy. She had swum over to this end of the pool to have a few moments to herself, not that she terribly minded his intrusion. He squatted down by the edge of the pool, holding a glass with a light orange liquid in his right hand.

"In case you were in need of a fruity drink," he said, holding it out to her, watching her for her reaction.

"Did you make it?" she asked, accepting the drink and taking a sip, letting the flavors of orange and banana stimulate her mouth.

"I did, actually. The bartender thought it was very sweet of me," he said, with a lopsided grin, "so she was more than happy to let me behind the bar."

'Hmph, she'd probably be more than happy to let you anywhere,' Gabriella thought sourly, glancing over and seeing the bartender watching them, watching Troy in particular.

"It's delicious. What is it?"

"An Italian Sunrise. You liked the first one, so..." Troy let the sentence trail off, smiling at her flirtily as he referenced their first really positive time spent together.

Gabriella smiled. "Well, the second hasn't disappointed either."

"I'm glad you like it."

"Thanks for making it for me."

"Anytime," he said, sending a wink her way before standing back up and walking away.

* * *

Moments later, Gabriella was surrounded by her friends again and she participated in their lively, half-drunken conversation, stealing periodic glances in Troy's direction. As time ticked by, she noted that the Richardsons had left the little table that Troy still sat at with the Blakes. Walking along the green of the terrace area with Ivan just talking about Italian food and culture and lodging, Gabriella couldn't keep her mind off of Troy. She didn't want to be strolling around over here with Ivan. She wanted to be sitting along the edge of the pool with Troy, letting him pour his fruity drink concoction on her so he could lick it all up. And, that lovely fantasy aside, she'd also rather just be sitting in Troy's room eating dessert with him or going for a walk with him and arguing about something than having this sweet, friendly conversation right now...which told her that this particular sweet, handsome, interesting man wasn't someone she saw herself with for the long haul, not as more than a friend anyway. Sighing, she realized the only fair thing for her to do was to let Ivan know it wasn't going to happen between them.

Some time later, having had that unpleasant conversation, unpleasant because those conversations were just never enjoyable, not because Ivan hadn't been an understanding gentleman about it, Gabriella found herself lounging on some of the terrace lounge chairs with Jennifer and Johanna, filling them in on the latest. Jennifer was proud of her. Johanna seemed so too but also seemed worried about Ivan. Both sisters eventually left to head back to their room, inviting Gabriella, who said she just wanted some more time to herself to think and enjoy the nice evening.

That was partially true. The part she'd omitted was the part where she hoped Troy would come find her again. She glanced over toward his table a minute or so after the girls had left and frowned, noting that it was only Troy and Mrs. Blake sitting there at the moment...and Mrs. Blake was looking at Troy like she didn't remember there was a Mr. Blake in her life. She could only see the back of Troy's head from this angle but she saw in Mrs. Blake's facial expressions and heard in her peals of laughter that she liked whatever Troy was saying to her.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes. No...he wouldn't... As she watched, she saw them rise and saw Troy place his hand at the small of her back. Gabriella felt disgusted. It had nothing to do with Mrs. Blake. She was in her late 30s and was a very attractive woman. But she was a _Mrs_. Where was Mr. Blake? Gabriella watched as Troy led the older woman to the rooftop door, through which they'd descend a flight of steps and reach the elevators. She couldn't believe she was witnessing this. She waited a little while so she wouldn't have to run into them down at the elevators and then made her way to her room carefully, still hoping not to see or hear anything that would further plague her brain. She didn't. She quietly entered her room and locked the door, showered quickly and crawled into bed, pushed her earbuds into her ears in case his room was next to hers again (she hadn't seen him there earlier to know for sure) and tried not to imagine Troy and Mrs. Blake...was her name Evelyn? Gabriella couldn't quite remember. She didn't want to. Could he seriously have decided that a few hours was enough time for her to think? Or was the eight days just too much for him? Then again, neither of them had ever said anything about having an exclusive affair with each other and Gabriella had just been considering having some non-committal, hopefully mind-blowing, fun with Troy regardless of what other fun he was having on the side. So, it wasn't that she had expected to be his only enjoyment. No, she could maybe accept that he liked his co-eds too, but she couldn't accept him knowingly sleeping with one of the married women on his tour. Or hell, was it more than one? Had he worked out some kinky arrangement with Mr. Blake...with the other husbands? Oh, ugh. Or had Mr. Blake and possibly other husbands just trustingly gone off to bed, trusting their wives to soon follow?

Gabriella wanted to scream into her pillow except that he might hear her if he was actually next door. Then again, maybe he'd be too preoccupied to hear her. Her mind was swirling in circles of unpleasantness and her body felt waves of anger and betrayal, though she reasoned she might not have a right to feel this strongly. Then again, maybe she did.

* * *

The next morning, Gabriella ate a healthy breakfast of unwrapped chocolates and chocolate dipped biscotti and biscuits, which had been left in her room with turn down service last night. She wondered if she had already gained that jean size she had joked with Troy about. Troy. She had slept horribly last night...again...which pissed her off even more.

She avoided the restaurant altogether and curled up in the back of the bus with the Ericksons. Ivan had smiled at her as he'd gotten on the bus, his message that they were okay, but he had chosen to sit in a seat further up. Gabriella understood. It never felt good to not have your feelings returned, no matter how nice a guy you were. When Troy got on the bus, Gabriella focused her attention on the Ericksons briefly and then, having expressed her fatigue, shut her eyes and did actually fall asleep on the hour drive to the cliffside town of Pitigliano in the Maremma area of Tuscany. She was nudged awake as they began their approach toward the medieval town, dramatically perched atop a tufa ridge. It was apparently also known as Little Jerusalem in regard to the town being a haven for Jews escaping the enclosed ghettos of larger Italian cities in the 16th century. The group stopped in the town for a little while, visiting parts of the ancient Jewish Quarter and some of the underground Etruscan tunnels and caves and learning about the lace and famed white wine of the area, Bianco di Pitigliano, which they sampled over an early lunch. Gabriella stuck close to the Ericksons and ignored Troy throughout the stop. She slept in the back of the bus once more on their way to their next stop, Villa Lante gardens in Bagnaia.

Once at the gardens, Gabriella set off on her own, hoping to still avoid Troy if she kept her pace up and wandered with a lack of real direction. As she was passing by some fountains off to the one edge of the gardens, she overheard loud camera shutter sounds and a man's voice confidently instructing. "Okay, now, Maria, if you can just send her veil upward on the count of three...yes, yes, just like that." Curious, Gabriella looked to see a group of people gathered in one area, a group that looked to be a bride and groom, a photographer, and his assistants. Gabriella watched as they tried to get a shot with the veil blowing horizontally in the wind. The photographer was attempting several takes of this shot and on the third take, the veil detached from the bride's hair and flew up into the wind. Before Gabriella knew what she was doing, she was reaching out and catching the wayward veil as it started to sail past her.

"Oh, signorina, grazie! You are a godsend!"

'That's what they keep telling me,' Gabriella thought with humor, which soured a moment later when she remembered what hearing that had led to the other day. She just offered a smile to Maria, who had scurried over to retrieve the veil from her.

"Yes, you are. Someone as lovely as you could only have been sent from heaven above."

Gabriella turned to see that the photographer had spoken those words and was approaching her. She would have been off put by the seeming come on line if he wasn't completely studying her with a look of awe and inspiration on his face that she suddenly found very flattering. She took a moment to study him as well. He was Italian...dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin...attractive.

"Signorina, please, what is your name?"

"Gabriella."

"Gabriella." She kind of liked the way her name rolled off his tongue, making her sound distinctly Italian. "And are you visiting our fair country?"

"Yes. I'm with a tour."

"Oh. Well, those tours are great but there's a lot they miss."

"Like?"

"Well, what is your next stop? Rome?"

Gabriella nodded.

"So, I'm sure you'll be taken to the Colosseum, the Vatican, The Forum, The Pantheon, the standards. But what about the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls and all seven hills of Rome? What about the true streets and people of the city?"

As he spoke, Gabriella realized that she was a bit intrigued.

* * *

Troy passed by another fountain, disappointed he hadn't run into her yet. She wasn't with the Ericksons or Ivan, who he had noticed had been keeping company with some of the others in the tour group today. He'd seen Ivan and Gabriella in the pool last night, seen their close contact and felt completely irritated by it. He'd made her the drink to, well, get to talk to her again briefly and keep himself within her radar, but also just to remind her that he could bring her enjoyment, be it by fruity drink or...other means. She had seemed receptive. He had later seen her talking with Ivan and had seen the other man leave, looking less than happy. It had made him feel hopeful. Then came the whole bothersome thing with Evelyn Blake, but when he'd gotten back to his room, he'd considered just checking in to say hi and, well, see...but all of her lights had been off.

Then, this morning, she had managed to completely avoid and ignore him and he had no idea why. He knew he was trying to give her some time and space but last night, she'd still made eye contact with him aside from their brief chat. No, this felt decidedly cold and he wanted to know why. So, here he was, walking around the gardens, hoping to find her so they could talk.

* * *

"My name is Luca, by the way, Luca Moretti, and I would love to show you some of the Rome only Italians know."

Gabriella looked at him in surprise, not sure what to say to that. "Luca, I...I don't know..."

"I understand. You do not know me. Am I safe? I get it. How about this? How about I come to your hotel tonight and dine with you there, surrounded by the rest of your tour group? Then, you can decide if I am trustworthy or not."

That sounded reasonable though still so crazy. This trip was definitely a little crazy. 'But what the heck?' she thought. Ivan was just her friend and Troy was...well, obviously not in the cards, but she should still have some fun while she was here, right? And here was an attractive Italian wanting to show her some.

* * *

Troy blinked. He could not be seeing this. Moretti. Gabriella talking with Luca Moretti and laughing at whatever he was saying. He picked up his pace and headed down the hill in their direction, fighting the disturbing thoughts that were clouding his head.

* * *

Gabriella gave Luca a small smile as she walked away. 'There, that wasn't so hard,' she thought. 'The girls would be proud of me, just being open to something fun like that.' Gabriella rounded some carefully manicured hedges and the smile on her face disappeared. She guessed it had been too much to hope for that she could just keep avoiding him. He didn't look tremendously pleased himself.

"Did he...? What were you doing with...?"

"Luca?" Gabriella supplied, her tone testy.

Troy frowned at her. "Yes, him."

"None of your business," Gabriella said flippantly, side stepping to walk around and past him.

Troy turned on his heel and kept pace with her. "I know him. He's not a good guy, Gabriella."

This slightly surprised her, since she'd figured her saying Luca's name would only show Troy that she had gotten it, not ring as a familiar name to him. But, she reasoned, they were both photographers here, so that's probably how they knew each other. Never mind any of that though. Troy was attempting to warn her off another guy he said was not a good guy. She scoffed.

"That's rich coming from you."

Troy looked at her, puzzled and taken aback. What was she talking about? And why did she sound so angry at him? "What's that supposed to mean?"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him."It means you can go _figure it out_...on your own," she said bitingly, before turning and stomping off.

* * *

'What the hell?' Troy thought. He was about to follow Gabriella and find out when he was waylaid by several folks from his group telling him Felicia, one of the college students on the tour, had taken a fall and had seemed to have twisted her ankle. He groaned inwardly. He wanted to find Gabriella, talk to her, fix things with her, but he had to tend to this matter. It was his responsibility. He went with the group and helped Felicia back to the bus, obtaining a bag of ice and a towel from the garden office for her. On the ride to Rome, he sat with she and her friends, just assuring her as she winced at every bump that he'd take her to have her ankle checked out on their way into Rome. He had Alberto drop them off at a hospital at the edge of the city and then continue on with the rest of the group to the hotel, so they could get checked in and settled in a while. Once Felicia had been seen, told it was only a minor sprain, and given an air cast for support but ease with travel, Alberto came back out and picked them up, bringing them back to the hotel.

Troy was still anxious to talk to Gabriella, but he was also behind in their tour schedule, so he pushed through, taking them to Santa Costanza, with its 4th century Christian ceiling mosaics, some of the earliest Christian mosaics in the world, to Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura, dedicated to the patron saint of young girls, Saint Agnes, and containing crowd-free catacombs, and to San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, with its 6th century mosaic, catacombs, and lovely 12th-century cloister.

Back at the hotel, Troy got dressed for dinner and exited his room, just catching Gabriella as she was exiting hers. This hotel had also been able to accommodate his request to room next to her. She looked almost disgusted to see him there. Ouch. What was so different between last evening and this one?

"Would you...talk to me?" he got out, moving faster to keep up with her pace as she was trying to walk quickly away from him.

"Nope."

Troy heard a sound come from himself that sounded almost like a growl. "Fine. I'll talk. I have no idea why you're so pissed at me."

"Seriously? Did you think that one of my turn ons was a man who would get himself sex at _any_ cost?"

Troy was staring back at her like she'd grown two heads. He was either really thick, forgetful, or just so beyond morals that he couldn't comprehend what she was referring to...or...no, she'd seen him...but, maybe...no.

Troy didn't know what to say to that. He knew how she felt about his playboy lifestyle, as she put it, but he thought they'd been on better terms about it over the past several days, especially after he'd shared yesterday that there hadn't really been any action since that second day of the tour. They were standing at the elevators now. One opened containing a few other hotel guests and Troy motioned for them to keep going, which did nothing to improve Gabriella's temper as she stood staring at the now once again closed elevator doors. "Any cost?" Troy said dumbly.

Now, Gabriella was staring at him like he had stolen her cat, not that she had one, and was refusing to give it back. "Eight days was just too much, huh?"

Argh. That was not how she'd meant that to sound. It wasn't about him sleeping with someone. It was about who he'd chosen. She needed to clarify. "But how do you even do that? Speak to the husband all evening and then go bang his wife the minute he leaves you alone with her?" Okay, now his eyes were as big as saucers. Was he really that good an actor?

"Wha? Who?" 'Okay, Troy, if you want to get to the bottom of this, you're going to have to speak a bit more intelligently than that,' he chided himself. Taking a breath, he tried again. "For the record, we are now up to nine days, so whatever you think I've been doing, I haven't."

Gabriella was taken aback. He hadn't seemed concerned with lying to her about his activities before. Would he start now? "I saw you...leaving with her last night..."

Troy thought back to the night before. "Wait. Evelyn?"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him. The elevator doors opened once more and Troy waved the occupants away once more, hearing the doors close again a moment later. "Yes...Mrs. Blake. _Mrs_, Troy. You know she's married."

The pieces were starting to come together for Troy. "And you think that she and I...?" Apparently, from the look on her face, that was exactly what she thought. Troy took a relieved breath, relieved because he knew he had done nothing wrong. The elevator doors opened a third time and he motioned for them to step inside. "Come with me, please."

Gabriella was now baffled by his calm appearance. Looking at him skeptically, she entered the elevator. Down in the lobby, he quickly located the Blakes, sitting on a loveseat, looking very cozy. "Oh, hey Troy, Gabriella," they greeted as Troy and Gabriella approached them. "We were just waiting on Jack and Marci before going into the dining room. Care to join us for a minute?"

Troy nodded for the two of them and motioned for Gabriella to sit down. Still uncertain and annoyed, she did so and he sat down next to her. "Thanks, guys. I was just telling Gabriella that if she was looking for some more human interest components for her magazine piece, she might want to interview you some time. People think of Italy and love and romance going hand in hand, and they're obviously right," Troy said gesturing to them with a smile.

Gabriella looked from Troy to the Blakes and back again, trying to figure out what was going on here.

"Oh, well, that's sweet, Troy. But if you do share our story, Gabriella, you'll have to include how Cupid's assistant here helped us out," Evelyn Blake said, smiling at Troy and then back at her husband.

"Um, how did he help you out exactly?" Gabriella asked, wanting to understand.

"Oh, you didn't tell her?" Evelyn asked Troy.

"No, I thought you guys might like to."

"Oh, well...Steve, you might be the better one to start since you planned it all."

Steve smiled down at her, gave her a loving kiss on the forehead and then returned his attention to Gabriella and started talking. "Well, you see, Evelyn and I celebrated our fifteenth wedding anniversary yesterday..." He went on to explain that he'd wanted to do something special just for the two of them, though the tour schedule was keeping things pretty hectic yesterday in terms of getting something done. He'd decided to surprise his wife with late night dessert and dancing for the two of them in their room, a special room too, different from the one they had checked into earlier in the day. Troy had helped Steve to obtain a jacuzzi suite at the hotel as well as some of the other items he needed and he had helped to keep Evelyn occupied so Steve could get his surprise ready for her. Admittedly, this had involved a few more drinks than either man had anticipated, but when Troy had helped her back to her new room, hoping to ensure she made it there safely to her husband without falling down the steps in the meantime, she had been completely thrilled with her anniversary surprise.

"So, aren't these two just the sneakiest and the sweetest?" Evelyn gushed.

Gabriella knew her mouth was hanging open a bit and knew she needed to say something. "Um, wow, yeah...I guess they are." She knew she was stumbling over the words.

"Well, if you happen to want to tell all of America how I'm the best husband ever, you go right ahead," Steve joked.

Gabriella forced a smile. "I just may do that. I need to go check on something right now, but thank you so much for sharing your story with me. I might have additional questions later on if that's okay."

"Definitely!"

"Sure thing."

Gabriella smiled once more, congratulated them, wished them a good evening, and stood up, not meeting Troy's eyes but sensing he would follow her. She heard his steps as she walked to the other side of the lobby near the front doors of the hotel.

"I'm...sorry," she said quietly, turning and looking at him sheepishly. "I...that's just not how it looked...you had your hand on her back and..."

"I didn't know if she could walk straight. I'm glad Steve didn't end up holding her hair back over a toilet last night. But, apparently romantic anniversary surprises can be somewhat sobering."

Gabriella made a noise of discomfort in the back of her throat. "Okay, I feel like an idiot now...and you have every right to be mad at me."

Troy studied her, the corners of his lips twitching slightly. "You were jealous."

"What? No...it wasn't that," she protested, her cheeks flaming. "It wasn't about you breaking your streak or whatever; it was about who I thought you broke it with."

"Gabriella, I respect marriage. I wouldn't do that."

A cloud passed over her face but was quickly gone. It was good what he was saying. "I'm glad. And again, I'm sorry I jumped to the wrong conclusion." Gabriella glanced toward the doors, hearing someone entering. It was someone else.

"It's okay. Are you waiting for someone?"

"Um, yes...Luca."

"What?" Troy asked, immediately on edge again.

"He's having dinner with me here."

"Absolutely not!"

"Excuse me?" Gabriella asked, becoming testy once more. What was with his tone of voice. "That's not really for you to decide."

"Gabriella, he's..." Troy took a breath and would have continued if he hadn't heard the voice of the man he hated just then.

"Gabriella! Is it possible you look more beautiful than the last time I saw you?"

"Luca, hi...grazie," she greeted.

He smiled down at her and then seemed to notice that she had been speaking to someone else. Looking up, the surprise on his face was evident. "Bolton?"

"Moretti," Troy gritted out.

Gabriella watched the exchange, partly curious about it but also partly concerned. She just wanted to have a peaceful dinner right now. "Luca, I'm starving. I think we can go in and sit down now."

Luca considered Troy and then Gabriella and chose to grin at the latter. "I'm famished too. That sounds like a grand idea." He put his arm out for her and she took it and the two started to walk toward the dining room.

"Gabriella," Troy said, still not believing this situation.

Gabriella bit her lip, then stopped herself. She turned, asking Luca for a moment and went back to Troy. "It's just dinner. You're all here. It'll be fine," she said in a low voice, meeting his eyes briefly before turning to walk back to Luca.

"He doesn't just get a free meal because he's eating with the group," Troy said bitterly.

"He'll pay for his," Gabriella said over her shoulder before reaching Luca and heading into dinner.

* * *

Dinner was...odd. Gabriella tried to focus on talking to Luca, but she could feel Troy's stare as he watched them periodically. She wondered why he disliked Luca so and she wondered if, in her misguided disgust, she had made a decision she should not have. But then, she didn't really owe Troy anything, but he had been continuously trustworthy, even when she'd thought he hadn't, so why was she stubbornly not trusting him on this? She fidgeted in her chair, feeling more and more uncomfortable as the meal progressed. Luca was charming, perhaps a bit too charming. She didn't know if she was now just influenced by Troy's feelings about him or if it was her own instincts, but there was something about him that didn't sit completely right with her. She didn't anticipate she'd be seeing him again after this dinner.

She did try to casually ask how he knew Troy. He had merely said that they had worked together, but had left it at that. She suspected there was a good deal more.

After dinner, they left the hotel dining room and walked back out to the lobby, which was relatively empty at the moment.

"Well, thank you for having dinner with me, Gabriella."

"Sure. Thank you for asking."

"So, what do you say? Some extra touring of the city with me?"

Gabriella tried to smile kindly. "Luca, I do appreciate the offer, but I think it might be best if we didn't."

"Because of Bolton?"

Gabriella paused. "Yes, partly. Also partly because our tour is pretty jam-packed already and I don't know that I could fit any other exploration in."

Luca gave her a measuring look for a minute. "That's a shame. We would have had fun."

"Well, again, I thank you for the offer."

"How about a thank you and goodbye kiss before I go?"

Gabriella's eyes widened in surprise at this. "I'm sorry. I'm not really comfortable with that," she said, trying to look apologetic but firm.

A frown came and went on Luca's face and then he smiled again, cockily. "Oh, come now," he said, leaning toward her, "It's not much to ask."

Gabriella found herself stepping back in reaction to Luca's physical closeness.

"She said no." Both Gabriella and Luca looked to see that the commanding statement had come from Troy, who was approaching them with steady steps.

Troy was doing his best to control his tone and actions. He had seen Gabriella and Luca leave their table in the dining room and had excused himself to follow them out here. Gabriella's decision not to see Luca again had pleased him, particularly the fact that she'd admitted Troy had something to do with that decision. But Luca's smarmy reaction had made him step forward.

Luca's face darkened. "And here we are again, Bolton, with the same taste in women. Apparently the American tease here doesn't have the best taste in men though."

"She's smarter and she doesn't have the same dark heart," Troy responded, his voice calmly angry, a combination that sounded dangerous to Gabriella.

"Always so high and mighty," Luca taunted.

Troy shook his head and started to turn away, motioning for Gabriella to go before him, which she did, wanting nothing more than to see the last of this apparently vile man. "Leave, Moretti," he said in that same strong, warning voice.

"Pshh, enjoy the bitch! Maybe you'll get lucky when she goes into heat!"

Before Gabriella knew what was happening, she heard the shuffling of clothing and turned in time to see Troy's fist make vicious and precise contact with Luca's smug face. The other man was knocked off balance and fell to the ground clutching the side of his face in pain.

"Get the hell out of here," Troy said menacingly. He turned to see a shocked Gabriella standing and staring from Luca to him with her mouth agape. "Come on, Gabriella," he said in a low tone, placing his hand at the small of her back and leading her across the lobby toward the elevators. "Dino," he called to the young man behind the reception counter, "please see that security escorts that man from the premises if he won't leave on his own."

"Sure thing, Signor Bolton!" Dino called back as Troy and Gabriella approached and entered an empty elevator. Troy pushed the button for their floor and watched the elevator doors close before them. Once the car had begun to move, he blew out a breath and brought his hand up in front of him, flexing it slowly and wincing slightly.

* * *

At their floor, they exited the elevator and walked in silence down toward their rooms, their demeanor so different than when they'd walked this hall earlier in the evening. When they got to their rooms, Troy started to retrieve his room key.

"Wait!" Gabriella said, finally snapping out of her shocked silence.

Troy looked at her, not sure what she was going to say. She retrieved her own key and opened her door, motioning for him to enter. "Come inside...please," she said beseechingly.

Troy eyed her curiously, but did as she requested. Once inside, she shut the door behind them. She motioned for him to sit down on the bed and then disappeared into the bathroom for a moment. Returning and carrying a hand towel, she crossed over to a table in the room, lifting the lid off the ice bucket there, which sat next to a half-full glass of water, presumably one she'd retrieved ice for earlier. She grabbed a handful of ice and placed it on the towel, wrapping it up and bringing it over to Troy. "Here," she said, "for your hand."

"Thank you."

Gabriella sat down next to him on the bed. "No...thank you."

Troy offered her a quick lift of his lips and looked down at the makeshift ice pack on his hand. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to scare you down there. I'm not really a violent person, I promise," he said solemnly.

Gabriella looked at him in surprise. "Troy, don't apologize to me...really. I should be apologizing to you. I appreciate what you did. I should have listened to you earlier."

"Well, yes, that would have been nice," Troy replied, a hint of humor in his tone, which she took as a good sign.

"I'm sorry. I was being stubborn. I've really botched things up in the past 24 hours," she said with a sigh of resignation.

"Well, it's nice to know we take turns with that," Troy joked, earning a small smile from Gabriella.

"Do you need some more ice?" she asked. "Or a drink or anything?"

"No, I'm good, thanks."

"Okay."

They sat there in silence for a minute or so. "Don't worry about today," Troy said. "Let's just hope tomorrow's a little better, okay?"

Gabriella shot him another small smile. "Okay. Do you think he'll come back or anything?"

"No. He's too self-centered to spend anymore time or energy on you...no offense."

"None taken."

"And he knows that punch was long overdue. He probably won't seek out another one. He's too vain not to just want to let his face heal and be done with it."

"That's probably true," Gabriella agreed, having observed Luca's seeming self-love in her brief time spent with him. "But what if you're wrong?"

"Then, I may have to rearrange his face some more," Troy said with a semi-satisfied grin.

Gabriella attempted a smile, but her worry shown through. "Troy...why was it long overdue?"

Troy paused and looked away before answering, staring at the wall ahead. "Like he said, we have the same taste in women," he said flatly.

"Katherine?"

Troy nodded. "She didn't exactly have any problem kissing him...or doing anything else with him."

"Oh," Gabriella said quietly. "I'm really sorry."

"Thanks. Anyway, that's the past. Let's just move on, okay?" he said softly.

"Okay."

"So, rewinding back to before things went all nuts, did you guys have fun last night on the roof?" Troy asked in a more positive tone of voice.

"Yes, we did. It was pretty cool. That area up there had a lot to offer."

"Like a complimentary fruity drink brought to you poolside by a very dashing, very thoughtful man?" Troy said with a grin.

"Yes, that part was especially nice," Gabriella agreed, returning the grin.

"So, I noticed Ivan wasn't really hanging around you today," Troy said carefully. "Did you tell him off for dunking you too much in the pool?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light.

"Um, no," Gabriella answered slowly, watching Troy's face as she continued. "I...told him it wasn't going to happen between us."

"It?"

"Being anything more than friends."

"How did he take it?"

"He understood."

"What? What did he understand, I mean?"

"That we just don't have any chemistry like that."

Troy was watching her carefully, the way she was fidgeting uncomfortably, glancing down at her hands as she said it. "And what about us?" he asked, his eyes not leaving her face. "Do we have any chemistry?"

She looked up and met his eyes, searching them for a moment. "You know we do," she answered softly.

Troy held her gaze for several moments and then smiled, looking down for a second, his tongue darting out to lick his lips briefly. He placed the now wet towel on the floor next to the bed. His hand was the last thing on his mind right now as he turned his body to better face Gabriella. "Hug me?" he requested sweetly.

Gabriella's eyes widened slightly as she thought about what she'd been about to do when she'd made the same request two days ago and she tentatively lifted her arms and scooted a little closer so she could place them around him. Ah. That felt so nice again, feeling his warmth and those strong muscles beneath her hands once more.

Troy slid his arms around her, pulling her a little closer and savoring the feel of her in his arms again. He breathed in the sweet scent of her hair and took note of the silky feel of the dress she was wearing. It had tiny straps holding it up, which left him with his head perched above an expanse of bare shoulder. He could feel the stillness that had taken over her. He let his fingers trace a lazy pattern over her back.

"Troy," she said, somewhat breathlessly. "Are you going to kiss me now?"

He let out a short, husky chuckle and gently pulled her hair to one side, dipping his head so that he could place several soft kisses along her shoulder. "Yes," he said, pulling back then and looking into her eyes, eyes showing nervous anticipation. He slid a hand from her back and brought it up to caress her cheek before sliding it into her thick hair, his fingers causing pleasurable sensations on her scalp as he pulled her gently to him.

'Oh God,' Gabriella thought as his lips met hers, 'this is good...so very, very good.' He led the kiss this time and she let him sweep her away with it, his lips plying hers and eventually, his tongue finding welcome with hers, exploring thoroughly but not aggressively. At some point, she was aware of the fact that they were no longer sitting upright, but had shifted to lying down on the bed, clinging to one another as their mouths continued to communicate their longing.

Troy had been utterly floored by how good their first kiss was, with the awesome combination of Gabriella initiating it and taking it further than he would have expected. And their second chaste kiss had still left him wanting for more. But this kiss...knowing this one definitely wasn't for anyone else's benefit, wasn't for any other reason than that they both wanted to be lying here kissing each other...it was...powerful, exhilarating...

Intoxicating. That's how this felt..she was getting drunk on him and looking forward to the hangover...

This was fantasy meeting reality, Troy thought, as he let his hands slide over the length of her body and pulled her closer to him, releasing her lips only to explore further territory, kissing her cheek, her jaw, her ear, and her neck and hearing her breathing become more shallow as he did so. Feeling torn by magnetic pulls to her in all directions, Troy found himself back at her lips, tasting, teasing, trying to convey to her that this meant something, that...oh.

Gabriella's fingers on one hand had woven their way into his hair as they'd kissed whilst her other hand had made its way up under his shirt, her fingers snaking up his back, both of which Troy found to be additional titillating distractions to the thoughts that were trying to organize themselves in his head. He squeezed her to him tighter once more, slowly and reluctantly released her lips from his own, and scattered a few more light kisses over her face before pulling back further and gently pulling them back up to sitting positions.

Gabriella opened her eyes and looked at him, surprised.

"I should...go."

"Wait, you're leaving?"

"Yeah...yeah, I am," he said softly.

Gabriella stared back at him in confusion and frustration. Why was he leaving? Didn't he just feel like the world had dropped away, leaving only the two of them, the way she had?

"Gabriella, it's not a bad thing," Troy assured, reaching up and running his fingers down over a section of her hair, staring at her almost disbelievingly and with a touch of humor.

"That's...a matter of opinion," Gabriella said wryly.

Troy chuckled. "I don't want to get too carried away."

"I thought you wanted to keep figuring it out," Gabriella softly challenged.

Troy held her eyes as he answered. His look was one of desire but also tenderness. "I do." He brought his fingers down from her hair to lightly run them along the area just under her jaw.

Gabriella felt a shiver of delight run through her.

"I am," he continued, noting her reaction to his touch. "And, so long as you let me, I will...but...I've figured out enough for tonight."

As he saw her parted lips turn into a frown, he almost reconsidered. He wanted to make her understand. He stood up, having an idea.

"Meet me on the balcony in a couple minutes, okay?"

Gabriella nodded, not sure what he was thinking now. Troy smiled at her quickly and exited the room through the main door, shutting it behind him. Gabriella sat there on the bed, considering what had transpired there over the past half hour or so. There was no doubt in Gabriella's mind right now that she wanted Troy, that she had to experience the...full range of his talents. She giggled to herself thinking about that and then wrinkled her nose thinking about why he wasn't still in her arms. She didn't get it.

After a few minutes, she rose from the bed and stepped out onto the balcony. Troy was waiting, standing on his, holding something behind his back. She eyed him speculatively.

"For you, Signorina," he said smoothly, bringing his hands from behind his back. She looked to see that he was holding his iPad out toward her and that it was displaying a Google image of a lavender rose. She stared back at it uncertainly. "Sorry. Best I could do in a pinch," Troy said with a lopsided grin.

Gabriella still stared for a moment, trying to figure out how much to read into it. "I'm...unique?" she asked slowly.

Troy's smile became more even. "Yes." They met and held each other's gaze for another few moments and then Troy continued. "So I'm going to stay over here for the rest of the night."

"Okay," Gabriella said, trying to comprehend.

"But I'm going to ask, can I see you tomorrow?"

Gabriella screwed up her face in humor. "Um, you're _going_ to see me tomorrow."

"Naturally, but that's not what I mean. Will you go out with me tomorrow, on a date?"

Gabriella looked amused but pleased too. "Well, I'll have to check my schedule...oh wait, did you deliver my schedule yet?"

Troy laughed. "No...but I'm pencilling myself in on yours."

"Well then, I guess you have your answer," she said, smiling at him.

"Good."

"Would you like a goodnight kiss or does that have to wait for our date?" Gabriella asked coyly.

Troy's eyes showed his desire and he licked his lips, considering her as he flipped the case on his iPad closed and set it down on a nearby chair. He moved the extra step closer so that he was standing against the railing on his side.

Gabriella's lips curved higher as she stepped forward too, mirroring his position on her side of the railing. "I'll take that as a 'yes' then," she said, holding his gaze for a moment before placing her hands down onto the railing and pushing herself upward to place a light kiss at the corner of his lips. Troy's eyebrows rose at this, as she brought her feet fully back down to the floor of the balcony. "Since we wouldn't want to get carried away," she said with a smirk.

Troy's lips curved upward and he stared back at her in a way that conveyed that he was fully tempted to get carried away. He quietly cleared his throat. "Good night, Gabriella."

"Buonanotte," she said quietly, looking at him longingly for another moment before turning and re-entering her room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Troy stared after her for a moment too. He couldn't quite believe that he was feeling the way he was right now. But, he thought, wanting to laugh aloud at himself, he was...and he was going to do his best not to screw it up. With thoughts of what tomorrow might hold and the next day and the day after that, he turned, retrieved his iPad, and re-entered his room, wondering if having gotten it next to Gabriella's again was going to end up being a good thing or not.

* * *

Author's Note: Let the fun begin... ;-)


	17. Chapter 17

**Escape to Love Chapter 17**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Day 12

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Random yet still HSM-related...an edition of "things I say in my house that just sound wrong"...so, I was watching HSM2 the other day with my son and "What Time Is It?" was on. My son's favorite current word is "ball." It's his favorite thing too. So, we're watching the song and I'm telling him to wait just another minute to see the balls. Then, Zac and the guys are there, bouncing those basketballs in that lovely synchronized fashion and I say "Look at all the bouncing balls!" which, in itself, to him, is innocent...but isn't to me when I start to think about how that sounds and then start to think "yes, there's a lot of ball bouncing going on in that scene" and my husband comes around the corner and just shakes his head at me because he knows what I'm thinking about what I just exclaimed. Lmao!

Anyway, I'm silly...you may have noticed. ;) You may not care, but it cracked me up. So, now, to the story. Let's see...first of all, I'll say it again: you guys are awesome! Please know that even if I don't get a chance to reply to all of your reviews as we go along, I absolutely appreciate them and find them super motivating, so thank you for them! About a few things that came up in them: 1) Which Zac look does Troy have in this story? Well, the ultimate answer is any you want to see in your head, but if you want to get in mine for this, then check out my profile...this Troy is kind of a mix between the two photos I link to there...CSC and current Zac. 2) Frustration with Gabriella or Troy or both - If you've felt upset, angry with, frustrated with, etc. either character or both, good and I get it. :-) These two are full of emotions and they are human (to the best of their fictional ability...haha), so they are going to be stupid or selfish or confusing or whatever some of the time. They have their issues and baggage and these things do and will influence their thoughts, actions, reactions, etc. at times, but they are growing. And, yes, Troy seems to be making progress at a better rate than Gabriella. He's had more time since Katherine. He's a little bit more ahead of the game than Gabriella. But she's getting there. And he still has some stuff to overcome too. Ha! Obviously, I feel a bit attached to my characters here...and don't even get me started on how I was going to have them go in one direction but they weren't having it and told me this was the direction they were going in... ;-) In any event, read on, enjoy Italy, and enjoy their date! :-)

* * *

Gabriella lay in bed that night, her eyes closed, still feeling his kisses, feeling his body pressed to hers, his hands on her hair, her face, her back, her hip... She sighed. She hadn't begun the day seeing them kissing at the end of it, let alone doing more, but still, in the moment, she'd been more than willing to keep going and to see where it led. It was so completely charmingly, if frustratingly, odd that Troy should put on the brakes. She wondered what he had in mind for their date. Date? What did that mean exactly? Oh, this night was going to drag on. She needed to fall asleep so morning would get there faster. She tried counting sheep, except the sheep turned into Troys. Oh, this boy was seriously bad for her sleeping habits, she thought, smiling to herself as she started to think about other ways he could keep her from sleep...

She woke the next morning with a smile on her face. She pulled her laptop into bed with her and checked her email to see her friends' excited replies to the message she had typed to them last night about what had transpired with Ivan, Luca, and of course, Troy. She got up to begin to get ready for the day and saw her tour itinerary on the floor by the door, where he had obviously slid it under. Picking it up, she grinned as she saw "date with Troy" pencilled in as they'd joked about last night. It seemed the group was on their own for dinner tonight. They could choose to eat at the hotel or elsewhere in the city...apparently, Gabriella would be dining with Troy. She expected that this dinner would be much better than the one the night before had been.

She looked at the clock and realized she'd better get a move on. She got ready, grabbed her stuff, and opened her door. As she did so, she noticed there was something taped to it...a real lavender rose. Smiling, she pulled it down from the door along with a folded note that had been taped next to it. She brought the rose into the room and placed it in a glass of water and then peeked at the note, feeling a happy warmth run through her.

"You're enchanting too..."

It wasn't signed. It didn't have to be. That was as telling a signature as any. Gabriella placed the note inside her purse and left the room once again, making her way down to the dining room, eager to start the day. Entering the room, seeing the crowd of people milling about and chatting as they retrieved breakfast items for themselves from the buffet tables that had been set up around the room, Gabriella couldn't help but scan through the different faces until she found his.

He smiled from the spot where he was standing, by the pastries table, having watched her search for him. He enjoyed the shy pleasure he saw on her face as her eyes landed on his. She started moving toward him.

"Good morning, Gabriella."

"Morning," she replied softly.

"Would you like something sweet?" he asked, gesturing to the table in front of them.

The corners of her lips rose a little. "I think I already received something sweet this morning."

"Liked that, did ya?" Troy asked, his lips curving upward to mirror hers.

"Mmmhmm."

"I'm glad." Troy _was_ glad. He had been up bright and early that morning, running to a local flower shop and making a few other arrangements for the day. He had felt an excitement upon waking that he hadn't felt in a long time, a joy in the hoped for unknown.

Gabriella noticed, with chagrin, that someone was trying to find a way to retrieve a pastry she was blocking. She stepped to the side and the woman gave her a small smile as she slipped in between Troy and Gabriella to fill her plate. Gabriella grinned at Troy behind the woman's head and retrieved a plate for herself, choosing a tasty looking pastry from a tray in front of her and shooting Troy one more look before moving on to a nearby table and pouring herself some juice. She found a seat and was joined by Jennifer, who spotted her as she was looking for a seat herself. John and Johanna, she noticed, were sitting at another table with Ivan and one of the married couples, the Jordans. Troy was still standing by the pastry table, as he appeared to have been pulled into a conversation with The Richardsons. He looked at them attentively, answering their questions, but his eyes drifted periodically to her. She wondered if she was blushing every time.

"So, fun it is then, huh?" Jennifer teased, noticing the periodic eye contact between the two.

Gabriella bit her lip lightly and shrugged playfully, making her friend laugh. They enjoyed a nice, brief breakfast as Jennifer was filled in on the latest.

After breakfast, Gabriella hurried out to the bus. Climbing onto it, she was pleased to see that she was one of the first of her group there. Smiling to herself, she slid into a first row seat. She hadn't been up here since her first real touring day. Today, however, she was choosing this seat for a reason. Her tour group straggled onto the bus until finally all were accounted for but one. Having been signaled to by Alberto that they had their proper headcount, Troy left the front doors of the hotel and made his way over to the bus. Quickly ascending the steps onto it, his face lit up when he saw her sitting there. She met his eyes, then looked down at the seat next to her and back up at him again. Troy's lips curved and he gave her a brief nod before picking up the microphone and saying a few words to the group. Then, he slid in beside her.

"At the front of the bus, Montez? Dangerous place to be."

"I kind of hope so," she said, mischief in her eyes.

Troy raised an eyebrow at her. Talk like that would not help his resolve one bit, but he liked it nonetheless. "Really? Then, it seems maybe it's just a dangerous place for me to be. Maybe I should move," he teased, acting as though he was going to do just that.

Gabriella laughed, grabbing his arm instinctively to pull him back. "That would be very rude," she teased back.

Troy resumed his seated position, grinning over at her. She hadn't let go of his arm yet.

As if just noticing this herself, she bit her lip and slowly released it. She looked down for a moment, digging in her small purse for something. "Here," she said a moment later, "the not as dangerous kind."

Troy looked to see what she was holding out to him in her hand. He chuckled, accepting the wrapped Baci kiss. "Thank you."

"Sure," she said, unwrapping the chocolate kiss she'd gotten out for herself. She had enjoyed the candy so much in Perugia, that she'd bought up several souvenir boxes and tubes, including one for herself. Yeah, she was most definitely going to gain that jean size. But she was going to enjoy doing it. And maybe she could find some way to burn off the calories...

"Okay, what does yours say?"

"Hmm?"

"You just blushed, so it must be good."

Gabriella felt she must be blushing again as she glanced down at the small paper in front of her, knowing that wasn't what had made her blush...though what was on the paper didn't help the blush go away.

"It says...'A kiss speaks of future pleasures, and he too would seem to say: this is my promise. B. Guarini.'"

"Okay, that is a good one," Troy said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Yeah. What's yours?"

"Mine says...'A sponge to wipe away the past, a rose to sweeten the present, a kiss to greet the future. G. Maupaussant.'"

Lord, these quotes were fitting, they both thought. "Um, that's a good one too," Gabriella commented, shooting him a quick smile before looking out the window for a moment. "Hey, about yesterday," she began, looking back at him, "I really am sorry. I had you pegged from the beginning as, well, someone I shouldn't trust...but near as I can tell, you've been nothing but trustworthy with me and I appreciate that. I'll try to trust that you are actually this good guy I've been getting to know."

Troy smiled at this. "Thank you. Look, I know that the first impression I gave you wasn't exactly, well, the kind you could trust. I've been...not exactly myself for months. But the guy you've actually gotten to know over the duration of our trip so far is me. So just...know that I'm being real with you and honest and I just want you to be the same with me."

She was touched by the way he just laid it out there like that. "Okay."

"Okay."

They sat there smiling at each other for a moment before Gabriella broke the silence. "So, and I want the truth...what's your favorite color?"

Troy laughed. "Wow. I can't believe you asked me that," he joked with mock outrage. "I have two: blue and black."

"Scandalous," she joked right back.

"Troy," Alberto said, interrupting their conversation, but indicating that they were pulling up alongside St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. Troy shot Gabriella an apologetic look to which she shrugged with an understanding smile. He stood up and announced to the group that they had arrived and gave instructions for how they would proceed.

The group then debarked from the bus and walked through St. Peter's Square, past the ancient obelisk said to have been witness to Saint Peter's crucifixion, and into the magnificent St. Peter's Basilica, built, in Catholic tradition, over the burial site of Saint Peter. There were many murmurs amongst the group as they entered the sacred place.

"This place is huge," someone whispered.

"It is," Troy confirmed. "It has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world."

The group walked around the lavish interior, decorated with marble, reliefs, architectural sculpture and gilding. They took in the ornate, bronze baldachin, or canopy over the Papal Altar, designed by Gianlorenzo Bernini and Bernini's Chair of St. Peter in the sanctuary.

"The American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson described St. Peter's as 'an ornament of the earth...the sublime of the beautiful,'" Troy shared, to murmurs of agreement from those around him.

When they approached Michelangelo's Pieta in the first chapel of the north aisle, Gabriella felt the weight of the reverence for this blessed place hit her. It was similar to her experience of the Statue of David nine days ago except that this felt even more emotional. She could tell others in the group felt it too. The image of Mary holding the broken body of her beloved son, Jesus was the most beautiful, most sad, most hopeful masterpiece she had ever seen. That Michelangelo could capture the sorrow, sacrifice, acceptance, pride, and motherly love in this detailed sculpture was a true testament to his genius. Gabriella didn't know there was a tear on her cheek until she felt Troy gently wipe it away with the pad of his thumb. She looked up to see the sincerity in his face as he regarded her. She offered him a small smile. "It's just so...beautiful."

"I know," he said quietly, so heartened and inwardly proud of her for her openness to and understanding of the amazing experiences this country had to offer.

They didn't need further words. They just stood and took in the beautiful and original piece for several more minutes before moving on through the rest of the basilica. They moved from the basilica to the Sistine Chapel, where many more minutes of reverent silence took over. Before they had entered, Troy had shared the fun fact that the Chapel's ceiling had originally been painted as simple golden stars on a blue sky before Michelangelo had been commissioned to repaint it. What an amazing loss it would have been if he had not reluctantly taken on the task, which, in the end, amounted to about 5,000 square feet of frescoes credited to him. The array of colors and scenes above them was so visually stunning that it was a bit overwhelming. Gabriella did her best to commit as much as she possibly could to memory, as cameras were not allowed to be used within the Chapel. She took in the iconic image of the Hand of God giving life to Adam and the Last Judgement. She also took in frescoes there by other Renaissance artists, such as Scenes from the Life of Moses by Sandro Botticelli and Perugino's Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter.

Leaving the Sistine Chapel, the group toured the vast space of the Vatican Museums and other parts of the grounds, looking up toward the palaces and papal residences, mailing post cards from the Vatican City post office for the touristy fun of it, and just considering their presence at this highly regarded part of the civilized world.

Finally leaving Vatican City, tired but exhilarated by their experiences there, the group relaxed briefly on the bus, some of them removing additional coverings they had worn as part of their respectful attire that morning, while Alberto drove them to their next stop. At Piazza Navona, they grabbed lunch in the midst of so many famed structures, such as the Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini, the Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, the Pamphili Palace, the Fountain of Neptune, and the Pasquino statue, the first talking statue of Rome, a 3rd century statue that Roman people have been known to attach their anonymous witty complaints/lampoons about the governance of Rome to. The whole area was fascinating.

Following Piazza Navona, the group made a few other stops at the Farnese Arch, Piazza Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, and Campo de Fiori before being taken back to their hotel for the day. Back in her room, Gabriella scanned her closet, picking out a nice pair of slacks and a dressy top to wear later.

When she'd asked earlier, Troy had told her to dress nicely but comfortably. Having been rather exhausted by the day's adventures so far, she decided to take a short nap. She woke refreshed and got ready for her date, still contemplating what the evening might hold continuously in her head.

When he knocked on her door, she gave herself a once over in the mirror, pleased with her appearance - not too much, not too little. She took a deep breath and opened the door, seeing the handsomeness that was Troy standing there in his nice gray slacks and off-white shirt, which touched his muscular torso in ways she longed to.

Troy felt the smile form on his face as he viewed the beautiful woman in front of him, wearing, he noted, black slacks and a satiny royal blue halter top. She looked elegant but casual, sexy but natural. Her hair was pulled loosely back, some curls having escaped or been left purposely to frame her face enticingly. He had the urge to stay exactly where they were, but forced himself to speak and get this date started.

"Blue and black, huh?"

"Mmmhmm...imagine that," she said, eyes sparkling.

"You look...beautiful...perfect."

"Grazie. Si guarda focoso." (Thank you. You look dashing.)

Troy grinned at her compliment in Italian. "Grazie, Signorina. Shall we?"

Gabriella nodded and closed her door behind her, walking with Troy down to the elevators, which took them down to the lobby. They walked out the front doors and Troy motioned toward a Vespa parked by the curb. Gabriella grinned with excitement. She had always seen these in movies and wanted to know what it was like to ride one. Troy noticed and appreciated that she seemed excited as opposed to apprehensive. He settled himself onto the Vespa and looked up at Gabriella expectantly. Still grinning, she carefully seated herself behind him on the scooter and with a thrill that made her inwardly squeal with delight, she slid her arms around him, clinging to those rock hard abs of his.

"Hold on tight," he said to her over his shoulder and waited another few moments while she tightened her hold on him even further and rested her cheek against the back of his shoulder.

As he began to drive, Troy was very glad he'd chosen to rent the Vespa. Just feeling her body melded so closely to his was worth every euro. He drove them to Gianicolo, one of the highest hills in Rome. They walked around, taking in the amazing views of the city, as well as the Garibaldi monuments. Troy explained that they honored Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi and his wife Anita, who had fought side by side against the French there in 1849.

"That's rather romantic," Gabriella said, staring up at Anita's statue. Troy smiled at the assessment.

He showed her the other war memorial on the hill as well as the Manfredi lighthouse there. They also visited San Pietro in Montorio and Tempietto near the bottom of the hill, two sites which both claim to be built at the site of the crucifixion of St. Peter. Being on such historical ground was fascinating to Gabriella, regardless of which site had it right in terms of exact location. Also toward the bottom, they walked around the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola, a monumental baroque fountain named after the pope.

As the sun was making its final descent into the horizon, Troy and Gabriella arrived in the ancient Roman quarter of Trastevere. Troy parked the Vespa and they walked for a while, just taking in what Troy termed "authentic Rome." The neighborhood was a fascinating complex of intertwining medieval streets and homes, both aristocratic and common...cobbled streets draped in ivy, window boxes on the homes, laundry stretched across streets to dry, street vendors and artists, and the mouthwatering aroma of delightful Italian cuisine.

"Trastevere," Gabriella said, delightedly looking around. "I love the name...the way it sounds."

Troy smiled. "It essentially means across the Tiber," he explained, reminding Gabriella that they had crossed a bridge bringing them across the Tiber River to this side of town.

Gabriella could barely believe that she was walking these streets like a true woman of Rome, let alone that she was here on this magical date with this beautiful blue-eyed man. This is what she hadn't dared to dream she could end up doing when she'd learned she was traveling here. And here she was...

Eventually, down a small side street near the river, they stopped at a charming, little restaurant, Antica Trattoria Da Carlone and opted for an outdoor table. As they sat at the little table, complete with small white tablecloth and a lit candle in the middle, flickering and sending a warm light toward their faces in the now dark evening, Troy studied her. That she was quite possibly one of the most beautiful women he had ever known, he had no doubt. That she was enjoying herself with him so far this evening, he also had no doubt. But exactly what she thought about why they were on this date and how they had gotten to this point, he didn't know. And whether or not she saw them having more dates like this...of that he did have doubts. But he needed to just take things one step at a time and find out where the evening led them.

Having ordered, they sat, sipping their wine and watching the few passersby on the small street. Gabriella looked back at Troy, studying him.

"What?" he asked curiously.

"Nothing, just..." She took in another whiff of the delightful smells filling the air around her. "Is this really your life?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it's horrible, simply horrible," she joked.

Troy chuckled at the joke but he wasn't sure whether to be pleased or concerned by it. He felt a mix of both. "I know. How could I subject you to this?" he teased back, noting her humored eye roll before he tried to answer her question seriously. "Yes and no," he said. "Yes, of course, this is available to me and it's wonderful. No, this isn't what I do every night and no, I haven't brought anyone else here on a date."

Gabriella felt warmed by his answer. "So, what do you do every night?"

Troy shrugged. "The norm, come home from work, eat dinner, kick back and relax."

Their attention was momentarily distracted as the waiter delivered their meals. "You told me you cook. Do you cook meals like this?" Gabriella asked, gesturing to the steaming plates in front of them, before digging her fork into her pasta con fiori di zucca (pasta with zucchini blossoms) and taking a bite.

Troy saw her enjoyment of that bite and began to cut into his own dish. "I can make this," he said, gesturing to his own plate.

Gabriella raised her eyebrows at him, impressed. "And what is that again?"

"Saltimbocca. The word literally means 'jumps in the mouth' and it does." Gabriella laughed as he continued. "It's veal lined or topped with prosciutto and sage, marinated in wine, oil or saltwater, depending on one's preference or the area of Italy you order it in."

"Mmm...I'm still getting over the 'jumps in the mouth' meaning."

Troy cut off a piece from his plate and held it out to her. "Here, see if it jumps in your mouth."

Gabriella's lips curved and she looked from him to the forkful of food in front of her face, eyes sparkling in the firelight. Taking a short breath, she opened her mouth and accepted the bite, enjoying the mix of flavors within her mouth.

"Well?" Troy asked as she finished chewing and swallowed.

"Si."

"Si?"

"It most definitely jumped in my mouth," she said, giggling at the silliness of the phrase. Troy laughed with her. "So, you can make that?" she asked, eyes playfully skeptical.

"Si," Troy said confidently. "Probably not as good as Bettina does here, but I can make it."

"Bettina?"

"Yes, Bettina is the cook. Her husband and her son, Remo and Christian, co-own the restaurant." Gabriella looked at him questioningly and he explained further. "I've been here a time or two with friends and colleagues, but this may be my most enjoyable visit yet," he said, sending her a meaningful look across the table.

Gabriella smiled, accepting the indirect compliment. "What else can you make?" she asked, enjoying picturing this different side of him.

"Hmm...cacio e pepe, mozzarella in carrozza..." He paused, seeing the incomprehension on Gabriella's face. "The first is pasta with cheese and black pepper and the second is grilled mozzarella cheese with a slice of prosciutto and seasoning."

"Those sound delicious," she said, not hiding her pleasure in hearing him describe these foods he could make.

Troy grinned. "They are, but don't get too impressed. I live alone. I eat a lot of cereal and sandwiches."

Gabriella returned his grin. "I make a mean salad...spaghetti too...with sauce from a lovely jar."

Troy laughed and then leaned in across the table, waiting until Gabriella did the same. "That sounds fine to me, but I don't think we should say that too loudly here," he whispered teasingly.

Gabriella gave him her best contrite face, even as she tried to focus, having felt his warm breath caress her face at the close distance. She was reluctant to sit back and Troy hadn't moved either. Just as she was about to push her plate to the side so she could lean a little farther, they both straightened upon hearing the strains of a lovely song start up next to them. They looked up to see a trio of musicians standing next to their table, playing and singing a harmonious Italian tune for them. Gabriella looked at Troy with glee and then turned her attention to the musicians, enjoying their performance and wanting to pinch herself for the thousandth time to make sure she wasn't dreaming this whole experience. As Troy observed her happiness, he felt the same way.

After dinner, they walked the short distance to the river. "So, you enjoyed dinner, then?" Troy asked as they walked.

Gabriella looked up at him with a humored smile. "Yes. It felt almost like Lady and the Tramp, like all we needed was a shared plate of spaghetti and..." She trailed off, feeling silly. "Nevermind."

Troy studied her. "One of your favorite Disney movies?"

"Well...yeah," she answered, still feeling silly.

"The Lion King's mine," he said, earning a surprised smile from her.

"Really? Have you seen the broadway show?"

"No."

"It's really good. If you're in Chicago or the U.S. in general or if it travels to Europe, you should go see it."

"Maybe I will." 'Maybe we will,' he amended in his mind.

They continued walking for another few steps and then Troy caught her hand with his own, gently pulling them to a stop. They could see and hear the river nearby and Gabriella wondered why they were stopping.

"Have spaghetti with me tomorrow."

"Alright," Gabriella agreed, smiling. She was doing so much smiling tonight.

Troy stepped toward her, closing the short distance between them. "Will you kiss me now without it though?"

Gabriella felt a thrill run through her. "I don't know. The spaghetti kiss sounds so appealing. How could anything compare?" she teased.

"Mmm," Troy responded with mock concern and agreement, "you're right. This doesn't stand a chance," he said, letting go of her hand to slide an arm around her waist. His other hand came up to her face, where he twirled a curly lock around his finger playfully as he watched her.

Gabriella looked up into his eyes and wondered how in the world she had ever thought she could be immune to this. "I guess...it...wouldn't hurt though," she said, bringing her hands up to rest lightly against his upper chest.

"I guess not," he whispered, letting his lips brush against hers before taking her lips more fully between his own.

The kiss was warm, wet, and wonderful...and over too soon, in Gabriella's estimation. Troy pulled back slowly, looking at her almost shyly. How did he do that? That true skill of someone knowing exactly what he's doing looking like he's never done it before? She felt entranced.

"You're right. Definitely need the spaghetti," Troy said a moment later, winking at her before turning and starting to walk toward the water, leaving her staring after him, trying to shake herself back to normal. She followed after a few moments and stood by the water with him, staring out for a moment, breathing in the night air. They both turned their heads as they heard the sound of lively music drifting to them on the wind. They saw that about a quarter mile away, there appeared to be some kind of street party occurring. "Come on," Troy said, tilting his head in that direction and reaching for her hand. She took it after a moment of hesitation and they walked toward the music.

"Signor! Signorina! Vieni a ballare! Gustare!" a kind gentleman called to them as they approached.

Gabriella turned to Troy for translation. "He wants us to come dance and enjoy ourselves."

"Oh."

"How 'bout it?"

Gabriella looked at him and the couples dancing around in the streets, just enjoying themselves as the music blared around them. "Sure," she said, laughing as she pulled him toward the others. They twirled and danced and laughed at themselves, having a good time and taking a break here and there for a drink. The moon was high in the sky when Troy leaned down and suggested that they head back to the Vespa. Gabriella nodded and they walked back in a rather comfortable, peaceful silence. Gabriella looked wistfully back at the Italian neighborhood as they began to drive away from it. Then, she turned and looked forward again, resting her chin against Troy's shoulder.

Troy pulled to a stop next to a long bridge and turned to Gabriella to explain. "Just one more place I wanted to show you before we head back to the hotel, if that's okay."

"Sure," she said, following him onto the pedestrian bridge and walking next to him as he began to tell her about it.

"This is Ponte Sant'Angelo, the bridge of angels," he explained. "It's been around since 134 A.D." He saw Gabriella's eyes grow round at this fact. "It leads to Castel Sant'Angelo," he said, pointing to the large building at the other end of the bridge, "originally a mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Hadrian and his family, then, a fortress and castle used by past popes, and now, a museum."

"Wait. Was that in 'Angels & Demons?'" Gabriella asked.

Troy laughed. "Yes. Did you read the book or just see the movie?"

"Both. You?"

"Both."

"Yeah, I thought about it at The Vatican and at the Fountain of the Four Rivers earlier today, but then kind of tried to block it out of my head...creepy."

"Definitely. I promise I didn't bring you up here to creep you out."

"Well, Bolton, too late. Now our date is ruined. It's a good thing you promised me spaghetti tomorrow..." Gabriella said in a sing-songy voice, trying not to bust out laughing as he narrowed his eyes at her playfully.

"Montez, question for you...are you ticklish?"

Gabriella looked at him apprehensively for a moment. "No," she lied. Then, seeing on his face that he didn't believe her for a second, she turned and started running down the bridge away from him, which was a perfectly futile act, given that he caught her 'round the waist within seconds and started tickling her sides until she was laughing really hard and pleading with him to stop. He did, still holding onto her while she finished calming down and then, releasing her so she could turn and face him once more.

"What happened to being honest?" Troy asked in a mock scolding tone.

"Sorry."

"And you so rudely interrupted my story about the bridge too," he teased.

She lifted her chin at him in mock defiance, "Fine, tell me about this gorgeous bridge with its gorgeous angels if you must."

Troy grinned and then told her about the angel atop the Castel Sant'Angelo and the ten angels along the bridge, which were sculpted to each be holding an instrument of the Passion.

"They're so beautiful," Gabriella remarked, looking up at the statues, lit by the moonlight and the alternating lamp posts rising from the bridge railing. "Is it wrong for them to be beautiful, given the instruments of suffering they're holding?"

"No, because that suffering represents something beautiful."

"True. Have you photographed these?" she asked thoughtfully.

"Mmmhmm. The way the sun or moonlight hits them at different times of the day...it's great for teaching about light and shadows."

"You're a little bit fascinating," Gabriella said, leaning back against the bridge railing and looking up at him.

Troy's eyes widened a bit and he looked partly amused and partly uncomfortable. "You're a little bit unnerving," he replied, moving closer to her.

"Really?"

"Yeah, you just...you call it like you see it...and I like that, but it is unnerving at times."

Gabriella considered this. "You're kind of unnerving yourself, you know."

"Why?"

"Because I was all prepared to hate you, or, well, strongly dislike you anyway and then..."

"What?"

"Well, you got all fascinating," she said with a grin.

Troy returned it but felt conflicted. Yes, he was this guy Gabriella was getting to know, who knew a good deal about and was passionate about Italy and wine and photography, so he was glad if that was a guy she liked and found fascinating and attractive. But if those things drew her to him more than just he, himself, did...well, he didn't think he could handle another Katherine-like experience.

"Come on," he said quietly, turning his body and motioning for them to walk back to the Vespa.

Gabriella followed but wondered about the mix of emotions she'd seen on his face. The ride back to the hotel didn't take too long and before she knew it, they were standing outside her room door. "Hey...I didn't mean to make you feel, um, weird or unnerved or whatever back there," she said apologetically. "I just...meant it as a compliment. And, anyway, the fact that you have put up with some of my craziness is kind of a fascinating point in your favor too."

Troy smiled down at her. He couldn't help but believe that this was honestly her, just adorably sharing her observations with him even if they were about him.

'Oh, Gabriella, stop babbling or he's definitely just going to say goodnight to you right here and now.'

"Your craziness is a little addictive," Troy said, his voice low and humored.

Gabriella smiled back at him sheepishly. "Will you, um, come in for a little while?" she asked hopefully, though trying not to appear too hopeful.

Troy inhaled slowly. He should probably say no, but "yes" is the word that came out of his traitorous mouth instead and he found himself following her inside her room as he'd done last night.

"Do you want a drink or anything?"

"Anything." 'Dammit, Bolton. You're not good at the whole not trying to sleep with the girl thing,' his mind chastised him.

Gabriella blinked. 'Okay, that was easy,' she thought as his eyes caught hers and she saw the desire in them. She matched his forward movement and found herself standing in his arms again, reveling in the delicious, simple act of kissing him. They kissed for some time, holding each other close, trying to stimulate and be stimulated, trying to learn and be taught, trying to get lost and not to get lost. He pressed her body to his, his hands stroking her back and occasionally sweeping lower, his tongue exploring deeper. And she was so open to it, trying to raise up on her toes to give him even more access, trying to gain access herself. He groaned with appreciation of her enthusiasm and started to unconsciously back them toward the bed, but when he felt her hands trying to unbutton his shirt, he snapped out of it and brought one of his own up to stop her. He released her lips, looking down at her regretfully.

"Troy, we don't...have to stop," she said, looking into his eyes and trying to convey her assent, her desire.

Troy studied her, loving those words but not trusting them. "But what would it mean if we didn't?"

Gabriella stared back at him, uncertain. "I don't know. It would mean...we could see where it led...we could have fun...enjoy this, what we have."

"And, what do we have?" he asked, lowering the hand he'd stopped her with and placing it back on her lower back.

"We have...I don't know...chemistry...crazy chemistry," she said in a low, husky voice.

Troy's lips curved. Of course, this was true. But it wasn't the answer he wanted. "We do. But I want more."

Gabriella pulled back from his embrace, on the edge of becoming a mix of hurt and angry. "If I'm not enough for you, then maybe you should leave. If the rest of this trip has been any indication, I should be able to find someone else who's fine with what I have to offer."

"Don't you dare," Troy said with a low half-growl, pulling her back toward him.

Gabriella didn't fight him but raised her eyebrows at him, wanting to understand. "You won't help meet my needs but you don't want me to get them met elsewhere. How is that fair?"

"That's not exactly what I said. I said that I want more."

"And what does that mean, Troy?" she asked with poorly contained frustration.

Troy stared at her for several charged moments. "I'll try to make it more clear."

Before Gabriella had a chance to blink, his lips were on hers again, performing their magic, making her melt, making her ignite, making her...everything. His hands and his arms too touched her and held her possessively, such that she didn't want them to let go. All too soon though, his lips left hers and she heard their ragged breathing filling the air. Troy's forehead was against hers and his lips were so close. She wanted to just tilt her head and recapture them, but his sexy voice stole her attention before she could do so.

"Of course, I want you," he said slowly, punctuating each word, his voice deep and thick with desire. "If that's not clear, I'm happy to make the point repeatedly."

She pulled back slightly and stared into his gorgeous blue eyes, willing him to give in to his wants.

"But I don't want to just meet your needs, as you put it. I'd rather exceed them, but that's beside the point," he added with a husky chuckle before continuing. "I don't just want you; I want _us_." He paused a moment, letting that statement sink in. "I want you to fall in love with me, because...I'm already falling for you. I want it to mean more, be more than sex."

Gabriella's mouth was slightly agape and her eyes were round, dark pools as she stared back at him.

"So," he said, pausing to capture her lips in one more sweet kiss, "much as it pains me to leave right now, I will...because I think we have a chance at more...much more."

Having said this, he released her slowly and backed toward the door, opening it and stopping for a moment to just send her a smile of such sincerity that she thought her legs might give out on her before he could even shut the door.

They held. But when the door clicked shut, she found herself leaning and groping for the bed, which she stumbled the few steps over to and plopped down on. Did that really just happen? This must be a dream because Troy Bolton did not just turn down sex with her because he was falling in love with her. That was too absurd to be real.

Except that she wasn't asleep...and she smelled of his cologne...and she could still taste him...and her lips still tingled...and her body still felt overheated. Still, did he really feel that way or did he just think she needed him to feel that way? But to not stay and find out?

And how did she feel about him? She knew she liked him a lot and liked many of his qualities. She knew she loved spending time with him and definitely wanted to spend more. She knew he kissed her like she'd never been kissed before and that she kissed him like she'd never kissed anyone else before. And she knew she wanted him like she was dying of thirst and he was the last glass of water. But was she falling in love with him or just in lust? Ready or not, the lust was there. But love? They'd known each other less than two weeks. Why did she need to figure that out now? Oh, right, she didn't have to. She just had to cope with sexual frustration in the meantime.

She went through the motions of getting ready for bed...undressing and putting on her pajamas, removing her makeup, washing her face, and brushing her teeth. She'd shower in the morning; for now, she wanted to still smell the scent of him. She fell asleep relatively quickly, despite the turmoil in her head. The last thought that passed through her mind before she drifted off was one that made her smile. He was a man...he didn't stand a chance.


	18. Chapter 18

**Escape to Love Chapter 18**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Day 13

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Well, haha, glad you enjoyed my little HSM balls commentary...basically, at our house, we talk about balls a lot, so everything sounds bad. Lol! The little man loves balls and balloons and music and dancing, so he is a BIG fan of the All for One scene at the end of HSM 2. :-)

Okay, so, the story...in answer to a couple questions received...

About my process for this: Really, I think these characters mess with my emotions as much as you think I mess with yours through them. ;-) But, I kind of just sit down and let the characters show me how the scenes are going to unfold. Sometimes I fight them. Most times, they win. (And, consequently, I consider Italy one of the characters in this story as well.) I know this sounds just a little crazy (don't writers have to be a little crazy? *grin*), but I guess what I'm saying is that I go into the story with a general plan and sometimes it changes along the way, takes longer to develop in some instances, moves more quickly than anticipated in others, encounters speed bumps in certain places and finds a good flow in others. In some ways, I wish I wrote stories in their entirety before posting them up here so I could see how it all flows together and ends myself, and maybe edit things here or there, but then, on the other hand, it's also fun for me to see it unfold along the way. So, thank you for going on the journey with imperfect us (the characters and I). I used to just write things for myself but I have found sharing my writing with others to be very enjoyable. You guys make it so. :-D

About Gabriella's snippy comment toward the end of the last chapter: Basically, it was Gabriella reacting defensively. In the moment, she was taking Troy's statement as a rejection of her in some way, which was just really related to her own fears and bad experiences. She had put herself out there at that point more than once and from what she'd observed, she felt like if any of the number of other women Troy's been with were fine, why wasn't she? (related to: why wasn't she enough for the guys in her past?) It's really one of those in the moment things where you say something really sharp and possibly out of character and then think "wait, wha? that wasn't like me, but I can't take it back now...geez, I must be PMSing." ;-) Anyway, that might not have been conveyed well enough, but Troy's "don't you dare" was a fun follow-up. ;-) So, hope that makes some sense. It was just a defensive WTH.

So, anyhoo...having said all that, here's my obligatory "duh" reminder...this story is rated **M**. If you've chosen to read it, you very likely know this, but since things are heating up, I figure I will put that out there again. I'm detail-oriented. That tends to spill over into all areas of my stories. ;-) Fair warning given... Now, hopefully, this chapter answers some questions and puts some smiles on your faces. Oh, and a belated happy birthday shout-out to zanessa4evr12! Also, yay Zac and Vanessa for showing their support of this story...lol! Our Troy looks mighty heart-stopping on a Vespa, huh? And V's premiere dress...I'm thinking there was some lavender rose inspiration there. ;-) Okay, all, let's get this show on the road...

* * *

_"Michael, I'm...in love with you. And you don't need to say it back. I just...needed you to know that," she said softly, head resting on his bare chest, her finger drawing circles on his stomach. She felt him tense and tried not to inwardly panic. And then he soothed her fears._

_His arm around her bare shoulders, he squeezed lightly. "I fell for you the moment I first saw you at our coffee shop."_

_"And you decided to show me by nearly spilling coffee on me?" she asked in a happy, teasing voice._

_"You looked so hot I figured you'd burn the coffee, not the other way around."_

_"Oh, is that what you thought?" she asked playfully, lifting her head and rolling her eyes at him._

_"Yep," he said smoothly, sliding his hand into her hair and pulling her into a lingering kiss._

Gabriella stared at the ceiling, processing the memory she had awoken to. Then, though she didn't want to, she let her mind drift to another memory.

_"But I do love you, Brie..."_

_"How can you...how can you even say that?"_

_"Because it's true."_

_"Nothing's true with you!"_

_"It's complicated, Brie..."_

_"You made it complicated!" She turned from him and steeled herself. "You need to go, Michael," she managed to get out, choking back her tears as she felt the loss of him acutely, felt the loss of the future she'd thought she'd had with him, felt the loss of some better, stronger, smarter version of herself who wouldn't be standing in that room, feeling her last wicked hope being crushed._

Gabriella sighed at the memory. Not one of her better moments. She shut her eyes tightly and then opened them again. This was not the mood she had gone to sleep in and it was not the mood she was going to carry with her into this day. She forced herself up and out of bed and proceeded to get ready, feeling a bit more chipper as she purposely chose her items for the day. When she opened her door to leave, she found another lavender rose. This one didn't have a note. It didn't need one; he'd expressed the sentiment last night. He was falling in love with her. Could he really be?

* * *

She ran into Ivan in the elevator. She felt the need to be further honest with him. The nature of the tour was such that they couldn't exactly not be around each other, which meant he was bound to notice...whatever it was that was happening between she and Troy.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Um, this is awkward, but I just..." She paused, then decided just to say it. "I'm not sure if Troy and I are going to remain just friends and I wanted to be courteous enough to tell you that now because it's hard, within this tour group, to not see or hear things and well, anyway, I still want us to be friends, but I get how the idea of that might not sound appealing at the moment."

Ivan surprised her by giving her a small smile. "It's okay, Gabriella. I was never blind to the competition before. This doesn't really hit me from left field or anything."

It was Gabriella's turn to look surprised. Just how obvious had she been with her growing attraction to Troy? "I really never meant to hurt you, Ivan. I wanted to see if...well, you know...what I said the other night."

"I get it. It seems like you were trying to see something with me when you haven't needed to try so hard with him. No worries...really. Just, like I said before, be careful. And, I am your friend. If you need anything, just let me know."

Gabriella nodded, finding herself agreeing with Ivan's assessment and also appreciating his good nature about it all. "Okay."

The doors opened and they smiled at each other before proceeding toward the dining room for breakfast. Once there, Gabriella parted ways with Ivan, grabbed herself some food, and found Troy. She asked him to join her and they made their way to a table for two toward a back corner of the dining room, where no one else was sitting. She wanted to see if she really understood where things stood right now.

"Troy," Gabriella began, once they'd been seated and had a few bites of their food, "it's sweet of you to think about my feelings, to respect me, and to not take advantage of me but I am a big girl. I can have fun without the word 'love' being tossed around, so if you were just..."

"Just what?"

"I don't know...trying to do the right thing or make me feel better about it because you know girls like to feel loved..."

"Gabriella, that's insulting. I don't toss the word 'love' around lightly. I meant what I said last night."

"Oh."

She saw the look that crossed his face and regretted her choice of, well, word. "What I mean is...Troy, you are not what I expected from this trip..."

Troy shook his head and chuckled slightly. "I wasn't exactly prepared for you either," he said with amusement.

Gabriella swallowed and gave him a small smile. "I don't toss the word 'love' around lightly either. I didn't mean to insult you. I just...well, I mean, I _just_ wrapped my head around the idea of us purely having fun physically."

Troy grinned, thinking about just how good physical felt between them so far and they'd only just begun. "Purely might not be the right word."

Gabriella's eyes lit up and her cheeks burned slightly with the desire for some impure fun. "Anyway, I didn't know that more than that was even an option. I don't know if I'm..." She paused, thinking for a moment before continuing. "I _feel_ for you...I..._want_ you...do we need to figure out the rest right now?"

"We have time."

"But the ride is closed until further notice?" she asked good-humoredly and he laughed.

"Yes."

She nodded, studying him.

"Gabriella, I want more. I'm not going to sell us short. I want to make love to you...to and with you...I don't want it to be one-sided. And, thank you, because you've made me see again that that is what I want."

Make love. God, she wanted him. She bit her lip. "Um, thank you...you're welcome," she said, a bit flustered.

Troy looked back at her, bemused. He could see that his words were getting to her in a good way. He nodded, holding her gaze.

After staring at him for several charged moments, Gabriella recovered somewhat. "I _am_ listening, Troy. I'm thinking. I'm going to figure out if I'm...there."

"Okay."

"And I may not be able to keep myself from trying to seduce you in the meantime," she added, her lips curving upward.

Troy chuckled. "I may not mind."

Gabriella continued to smile at him. "Are we still on for spaghetti later?" she asked, hopefully.

"Definitely."

"Okay. I'm gonna...I'll just...see you in a bit," she finished, before getting up and heading out to the bus. Once there, she tucked herself into the back seat with Jennifer, who seemed to find her current situation even more humorous than her previous one.

* * *

Troy led them through the Palatine Hill area, the old Roman Forum, and the Colosseum. It was amazing to walk through an ancient civilization and picture it as lively and current, with its inhabitants having no way of picturing its ruins being toured by so many so many years later. The Temple of Vesta and the House of the Vestal Virgins within the Forum captured Gabriella's attention. Troy explained how those chosen had to remain virginal for 30 years or else they would be buried alive, and apparently, 10 were.

"Well, that puts things in perspective. Stop whining, girl," Jennifer teased, as they moved on to the next temple ruin.

As they walked along, the chill of the morning was swiftly giving way to the expected warmth of the day. Gabriella smiled, removing her long sweater and slinging it over one arm.

From where Troy was standing, explaining about another one of the temples, he felt his mouth go a bit dry, which felt somewhat ridiculous. She hadn't stripped naked or anything. But after the modest long skirt and blouse she'd worn for The Vatican yesterday and the pants last night, seeing her in relatively short shorts and a clinging tank top, both of which left a fair amount of her tanned skin showing, was a rather nice, if tempting change.

His eyes finally made their way back to her face as he continued to share memorized information about the ruins. She looked pleased, obviously aware of his enjoyment. He forced his attention back to the rest of the group and addressed a few of their questions before moving on.

* * *

After finishing up at the Forum and visiting the Arch of Titus, the Arch of Constantine, and Circus Maximus, the group visited the famed Bocca Della Verita, the Mouth of Truth. Everyone took a turn putting a hand in the mouth to see if they would or would not test its lie detecting abilities. Troy and Gabriella were last, as everyone else had drifted to other areas of the church or the piazza by now.

"Well, no one's lost a hand yet," Troy said lightly, "always a good sign."

Gabriella watched him uncertainly as she stepped forward. "So, what do you want to know?" she said, placing her hand carefully inside the stone mouth.

Troy stepped forward too and stood in front of her. His eyes drifted down over the wrist of the hand that was now obscured by the ancient stone opening. "What scares you so much about us?"

Gabriella's pulse quickened. She'd expected some tough question related to them. Whether or not she actually believed in the Mouth's form of justice, she had agreed to be real with Troy, so she would be. "The last time someone told me he had fallen for me, he also failed to tell me...he was married."

Troy's eyes widened at this. "Your ex?"

"Michael. Yes. Or, well, Mike to her, his wife...who knows what to the others," she said, a hint of bitterness in her tone.

Michael. The Facebook comments seemed more telling now. He'd not wanted his picture taken. Well, go figure...wouldn't want the wife to find them on the Internet somehow, or apparently maybe other women he was seeing too. "I'm sorry, Gabriella."

"It's okay. That's just where I'm coming from. It's kind of what led me here too."

"What do you mean?"

"It's why my friends surprised me with this trip, because they wanted to help me get past it all."

"Has it worked?"

She thought about this for a minute. "I think it _is_ working. I think it's a work in progress."

Troy nodded, accepting all of this. Then, he stepped over to the stone face and slid his hand in, covering hers and then he looked into her eyes, trying to make sure his were open to her, windows into him. "Fair's fair."

Gabriella studied him for a moment. "Are you over Katherine?"

"I am over _her_. I'm working on being over the things she did and the ways she got into my head."

"Okay." Gabriella paused and stared back at him, considering whether or not to ask the other question on her mind.

"What else, Gabriella?"

A brief smile passed over her lips. Damn, he was good at reading her. "How do you know you're ready to fall in love again?"

"Because I'm falling." He paused, then continued. "I've been thinking about this since I realized the other night that what I was feeling for you was deeper than friendship and more than attraction or lust, and the conclusion I've come to is that I don't know that it needs to be a conscious 'okay, I'm ready again, Cupid' kind of thing. I think the sneaky, little bugger just hits you when he sees fit," he said with a humored grin, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Gabriella very consciously breathed in and out. Everything he was saying sounded very good. _He _was sounding very good.

"Ahem." They heard a throat clearing and looked over to see a middle-aged couple eyeing them impatiently.

Troy and Gabriella removed their hands from the hole. "Sorry," they both offered, as they got out of the way so the other tourists could have their Mouth of Truth moment. As they moved out of the portico and into the piazza, Alberto approached them and said something to Troy in Italian. "The bus is refueled and ready for our trip to Bomarzo," Troy translated.

* * *

After rounding up the group, they made the drive to the little town outside of Rome. After eating lunch as a group at a local restaurant, they visited the attraction for which they'd driven there, the Park of the Monsters, a garden filled with larger-than-life sculptures. The park offered its own tour guide, so Troy got to take a break, just walking along with Gabriella and snapping photos of her with the sculptures and letting her do the same with him for a few. He loved watching her, being silly leaning against the huge turtle or trying to wrap her hands around Hercules' wide leg. When he saw her sitting on the gladiator's lap, he found himself jealous of the big, stone man.

After most of the group had explored the big Ogre, or Orc, the large structure in the shape of a terrifying head with wide eyes and a wide open monstrous mouth forming its door, Troy placed his hand on Gabriella's arm, holding her back. They watched the last of their group disappear through the trees and then, Troy slid his hand down her arm, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the steps leading toward the Orc's entrance. She went with him, her pulse quickening as they ran up the seven or eight stone steps and she wondered what he had in mind. They passed through the ancient doorway, entering a small, dark room with a small table and a bench. He pulled her to one side of the door, so they were hidden from the outside world and kissed her.

"That's better," he said, as they took a breath.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. You're wearing considerably less fabric today. That hasn't gone unnoticed...but you know that."

Gabriella grinned and then initiated another kiss. As this one continued, she backed him up until he bumped into and ended up sitting down on the bench against the wall. 'Mmm...perfect,' she thought, feeling bold and pleased about this turn of events. Her lips remained joined with his as she placed one knee onto the bench on one side of his legs and then brought the other up as well to straddle his lap. Her arms were already around his neck for support. Their kiss continued as she let her body slide down, so the weight of her could come to rest fully on his lap. She heard and felt his groan within her mouth. She broke away slightly only to create her own trail of kisses along his neck, stopping at his ear to whisper "it's less fabric and it's thin fabric."

Troy's fingers dug into her waist tensely for a moment before his hands slid lower and gripped her bottom, holding her more tightly to him. He turned his head such that he could capture her lips again and he swiftly deepened the kiss, as her fingers sought to dig their way into his hair. She could feel the effect this was having on him. His shorts weren't exactly thick either, though what was beneath them certainly seemed to be. As his hands slid upward to her lower back and then up her sides, she enjoyed the sensation, and as his thumbs grazed her nipples, she gasped at the further intimate contact.

"Oh, honey, I think there are already some people in there. Let's go look at the Pegasus statue instead." Troy and Gabriella froze at the sound of the nervous mother and listened as they heard retreating footsteps. After a moment, they broke their kiss and muffled their laughter in each other's shoulders.

"So, still feel better?" Gabriella asked, pulling back to look at him once the laughter had subsided.

"Better and worse," he answered, still running his thumbs teasingly up and down her sides.

She smiled down at him. "I've never made out inside an Orc before...I like it."

Troy bent his head forward and playfully sunk his teeth into her bared shoulder, causing her to squirm. "Kinky, Montez," he teased, sucking in a breath to cope with her squirming. "We should go," he said several moments later, reluctantly and thankfully, hearing more approaching voices.

Gabriella nodded and stepped back down onto the floor, missing his warmth immediately. She stood there for a moment, taking in the tiny, dark room and the attractive man sitting in it. Then, she turned and walked back outside, a smile on her lips, figuring he might need a moment to readjust himself. Troy joined her a few moments later and they caught up to and quietly rejoined their group.

* * *

Back in Rome, Alberto dropped the group off between Villa Borghese and the Pincio Gardens for some time to explore there on their own. Troy and Gabriella visited the Borghese Gallery briefly, then found themselves a nice spot on the grass by the lake to sit down.

"Ah," Gabriella breathed, coming to rest on the lush, green grass. "It's nice to just sit sometimes too."

"It is," Troy agreed, sitting next to her. "Tired?"

"A little."

"Feet hurting?"

"Yeah," Gabriella answered with a sheepish laugh.

"Lemme see."

"What?" she asked, confused.

Troy crawled forward slightly so he was sitting a little in front of her, cross-legged and facing her. He lifted one of her sandal-clad feet and slipped off the sandal, pulling her foot into his lap.

Gabriella's eyes grew bigger. "Wait, Troy. My feet are probably all sweaty and gross. You don't have to do that."

Troy looked humored. "I know I don't have to." He gently raised her foot up and she wondered what he was doing. Then, he blew air across the bottom of it, which felt cooling and also tickled just the slightest bit. He did this a few times and then lowered her foot again. "There, air-dryed," he said with a wink, making her laugh.

She stopped laughing and focused on him as he started to rub her foot, using lazy circular motions with just the right amount of pressure. "That feels really good."

Troy smiled. "I'm glad."

"A new tour service?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Only for you."

Gabriella stared back at him, some amount of wonder in her stare. She had a flash of what it might be like to come home in the evening and sit on a couch with him, sharing what each of their days had been like as he rubbed her feet or she rubbed his shoulders. The image was a peaceful one.

"So, what _don't_ you do well, Bolton?"

Troy scrunched up his face at her in disbelief. "Plenty."

"Nope. Don't believe you."

Troy shook his head. "I'm a horrible speller. You'd cringe more than you probably already do if I didn't have templates and spell check for our itineraries."

"Well, that is a horrible quality," Gabriella said with mock seriousness. "What else?"

"Tennis. I stink at it...look like an idiot chasing a ball around with a racquet."

"I stink at tennis too."

"I don't always follow rules so well."

"For instance?"

"I couldn't tell you the number of times I've gone into restricted areas to get the photos I wanted."

"Well, rule-breaking for the sake of your art...that seems reasonable."

"Glad you think so," Troy said, placing her now relaxed foot down on the ground and lifting her other foot, repeating the same motions he'd taken on the first one before moving into the full-on massage.

Gabriella placed her hands down on the ground behind her, relaxing a bit more. She studied him carefully for a moment. If it was to become more, what was between them, she'd need to trust him, to understand him better. "Troy...if we...if this weren't to go somewhere, would you be having another round with Stephanie or continuing where you left off with Bridget?"

"No," he answered more easily than she'd expected. "I regret becoming that guy. I let myself believe her one more time, that it was ridiculous to think anything more than temporary fun was really going to be found. I thought maybe I could just try living my life less seriously, not getting attached to anyone. It made me feel more in control, but it didn't make me happier."

"_Her_ being Katherine?" Gabriella asked softly.

"Yeah."

Gabriella was thoughtful for another moment. "And what guy were you before?"

"The kind who would move across the world for someone he loved, the kind who would consider spaghetti kisses enjoyable."

She appreciated the second half of his statement, but zeroed in on the first half. "You moved here for her?"

"Essentially, yeah."

"Wow."

Troy gave her a small smile. "It didn't exactly turn out as planned."

Gabriella saw the shadow cross his face as he said it. She placed her hand on one arm gently, stopping his massaging motion, and then eased her foot out of his grasp. Raising up on her knees, she put her arms around him and hugged him. Surprised, he brought his arms up to embrace her as well. They stayed like that for several minutes in silence. This embrace wasn't motivated by physical attraction, but by emotional connection, and it felt just as good to both of them.

"So," Gabriella said, finally breaking the silence, but keeping her arms around him, "you're done being a manwhore, regardless of me?"

Troy laughed lightly, squeezing her gently. "Yes."

"Good." She pulled back a moment later and kissed him lightly. And then lightly eventually changed into something more...slow, deep kisses...exploratory kisses...with Gabriella lying on her back in the grass and Troy stretched out half next to her, half above her. Many minutes later, Troy released her lips, looked down at her longingly and then pushed himself back on his arms and jumped up so that he was standing next to her.

"We should go grab a boat."

"What?"

"The lake. We can go out on it."

Gabriella sat up, trying to clear her head. "Okay." She put her shoes back on and he held his hand out to her, helping her up. They walked to the nearby dock, rented a boat and set out on the water, Troy rowing them easily. It was beautiful and serene out there, trees overhanging the water at certain points, swans swimming near the few boats that were out there.

As he moved the oars and they floated across the water, Troy watched Gabriella tilt her head back and bask in the sun shining down on them. He had the urge to capsize them just so the cold water could douse some of the heat that was within him. The combination of her not only turning him on with the way she looked, their earlier Orc rendez-vous, and the pleasurable faces she'd made as he was massaging her feet, but also showing that she cared for him and that she could touch him and kiss him with only that care in mind was overwhelming to his senses. He needed a potentially neutral topic.

"So, do you think you'll do more abroad assignments?" he asked.

"I hope so, but I guess I'll have to see how well I do with this one."

"I'm sure you'll do great."

"You've never even read anything I've written."

"Not true. I read the thank you note you sent to Nonna. It was very well-written."

"You didn't have to read it to get it sent to her. Is that why you didn't just give me the address?"

Troy shrugged, averting his gaze.

"You wanted to see if I wrote anything about you?"

"I just wanted to see if there was anything your good boyfriend here should know before the next time we see her."

Gabriella shook her head at him. "Well, if you were impressed by my thank you note, I guess my article will knock your socks off," she joked.

"It probably will."

There it was. He was doing it again. Charming her...making her feel comfortable and uncomfortable all at the same time. He was something she could get used to and that scared her.

"Well, I don't know if there's a more inspiring place to write about than Italy..."

"I may be inclined to agree," Troy said with a smile.

"Though I can think of a few places for my next assignments abroad," she continued, "assuming I don't screw this one up."

"Where else would you go?"

"Hawaii for one...I love it there. I'd also love to visit Australia, Paris, Scotland, Bali...a lot of places."

"Hawaii is great...the weather, the waves, the spirit of the islands. The other places you mentioned sound awesome too."

Gabriella smiled back at him as they continued to talk about places they'd been and places they'd want to visit. "Oh, that temple's cool," Gabriella remarked as they passed by a small island in the middle of the lake with a small, white temple.

Troy nodded. "When this artificial lake was made at the end of the 18th century, the temple was built on that little island. It's dedicated to Aesculapius, the God of healing."

Gabriella made a small noise of interest, studying the temple. It occurred to her that healing was something that might be occurring in that park on that very day. Across from her in the boat, Troy was having similar thoughts.

* * *

After they'd returned the boat to the dock, they made their way back to the bus to meet up with the rest of the group and Alberto drove them all back to the hotel. The sun was low in the sky as they got off the bus to head inside to their rooms. "What's the plan for tonight?" Gabriella asked.

"Spaghetti, of course."

Gabriella rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Yes, I know that much."

"Isn't that enough?" he challenged her lightly as they stepped off the elevator onto their floor.

"Maybe...should I wear anything in particular?"

"This look works for you."

"You are no help at all," she accused.

"Nope. Consider it something else I don't do well. I just pick out a shirt and pants and go usually. I don't put too much thought into it. And, as for you, you'll look great no matter what you wear. You'd tempt me in a garbage bag," he finished, unlocking his room door as she did the same.

"Hmm. What about a laundry bag? I know I have one of those in my room?" she shot back sassily.

"Whatever you like...I'll see you in an hour," Troy responded, winking at her before disappearing into his room.

Gabriella brought her hands to her face, laughing silently into them and shaking her head. "He was so..." 'What, Gabriella?' she thought. 'Completely awesome? Sincere? Interesting? Sweet? Oh, yes, and hot...like the surface of the sun.' Okay, if the decision was up to her, she'd stick with a nighttime version of what she knew he had appreciated today, something showing some skin. Smiling, she closed her door and headed to her closet, pulling out the dress she had in mind. It was a black and white strapless dress with a swirling design that fell just above her knees. It had one loose short sleeve only covering part of her upper left arm and a black satiny band of material cinching the waistline. She decided to pair it with a a stylish pair of flats. She didn't know exactly what Troy had planned for them, so, in case a lot of walking was involved, she couldn't bring herself to grab heels from the closet. Having decided upon her outfit, Gabriella freshened up a bit and then just lay in bed for a little, thinking about all they had discussed that day, as well as their interactions since she'd met him...thinking and feeling.

* * *

Troy showed up exactly an hour later at her door. After she had lain trying to figure things out for a while, she had gotten back up and finished getting ready, happy with her final product and hoping Troy would be too. From the look on his face when she opened the door, it seemed he was. He let out a low whistle. "My Lord, Montez. Are you trying to kill me?"

"Maybe."

"Well, seems like a good way to die," he replied, flashing her a grin.

"So, this works then?" she asked, wanting to be sure before she left the chance to change.

"Yes, it works."

"Even if I need to ride all side-saddle on the Vespa?"

"We're not taking the Vespa tonight."

Gabriella nodded, glad she'd worn the flats if they were going to be walking. They made their way downstairs and stepped outside. She noticed Troy had a twinkle in his eye as he watched her expectantly and she wasn't sure what he was waiting to see. She looked around and about 50 yards away she saw a horse-drawn carriage. She looked back at Troy uncertainly. "Our ride for the evening," he said, pointing in the direction of the carriage.

"You're kidding..."

"Nope."

The smile that lit up her face told him this had been a good decision.

"Oh my gosh, Troy, that's...thank you!"

"You're welcome. Come on," he said, leading her to the carriage, where the driver greeted them as Troy helped her up, just picking her up at the waist and lifting her into it. As she settled herself on the seat, he followed, sliding in next to her.

The driver took them through the city to a small alleyway. Troy helped Gabriella from the carriage and led her down the cobbled alley to a restaurant door midway down. L'Archetto was the name on the striped restaurant awning and they were seated at a small, outdoor table much like the one from the night before.

"This place is all about spaghetti," Troy explained. "They have 100 different spaghetti sauces or some crazy number like that."

"That's insane...and awesome," Gabriella replied, pleased and excited to try some out.

They ate and had easy conversation, talking about their families, likes and dislikes, their college years, and other topics that helped them to learn even more about each other. What struck Gabriella wasn't anything they specifically said, but just the ease with which they continued to converse. The idea of them doing this for some time to come ran through Gabriella's head once more. It was still a very appealing idea. Though Gabriella had been ready to spend her life with Michael before she knew he'd already made that pledge to someone else, she couldn't remember having as open and meaningful conversations with him. Well, how could she when she was the only one being open and honest? She pushed those thoughts out of her head. There should only be room for thoughts of Troy right now. He was the one who was currently cracking her up by trying to roll a meatball her way with his nose...who was willing to slurp on the same piece of spaghetti with her till their lips met, also causing them both to laugh. She liked laughing with him. He had been able to make her smile or laugh almost from the first day they'd met, despite their initial ups and downs. She also liked making him laugh. He had a great laugh and that smile...to say he could make a girl swoon was an understatement. And she felt it.

After dinner, and dessert of course, they walked a couple blocks to the Trevi Fountain, which Troy knew Gabriella had really been wanting to see. They heard the rush of water before they'd ever reached the fountain and it rose up before them in all its grandeur as they rounded the corner to reach it. There was a crowd, as there almost always was, but they made their way through the crowd and eventually found themselves a spot right next to the fountain.

"So, is it one or three coins?" Gabriella asked, retrieving some from her small purse.

"That depends what you believe. The traditional legend is that if you throw a coin into the fountain, you'll be sure to return to Rome, but some newer interpretations say that two coins will lead to a new romance and three will lead to either a marriage or a divorce."

"Well, three's a bit tricky then, isn't it?"

Troy shrugged. "I guess so. But there's also just the interpretation that three coins thrown with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the fountain is lucky."

"Oh, geez. Well, I guess if I just throw three that way, I have all my bases covered, huh?"

"I guess so," Troy said, humored. "Want me to take your picture as you do it?"

"Of course. I'm a cheesy tourist like that," she said with a grin. "Now, watch, I'll hit the guy next to us," she said wryly.

"I don't know what that would mean. Better make it into the fountain," Troy teased.

Gabriella did just that and Troy took several photos as she did so. Then, they just stood and enjoyed the glory of the lit up fountain for several minutes before heading back toward the street where the carriage was parked, waiting for them.

Once back in the carriage, the driver took them around Rome for a while and they both enjoyed seeing the city from this vantage point, feeling regal and carefree somehow. The night had turned cooler and they had pulled the blanket provided within the carriage up around them. As they were traveling alongside the river, their conversation had turned to less than innocent topics.

"So, no fantasy about being abducted and carried away by a stranger on horseback?" Troy asked, bemused.

"No, but...I have always had this fantasy about a carriage..." she teased, giving him a look, however, that wasn't entirely teasing.

Troy bit the inside of his lower lip and his eyes narrowed with desire as he looked back at her. "You tempt me beyond reason, Gabriella," he said in a low, husky voice, leaning over and placing a brief kiss on her lips, before leaning forward and saying something in Italian to the driver, who listened and nodded and brought the carriage to a stop off to the side of the road. As Gabriella watched, the driver seemed to command the horse and then get into a gesture-filled back and forth with Troy that made it seem as though he were warning or lecturing Troy before walking away from the carriage and down the road.

Gabriella's eyes grew larger as she watched this unfold. She looked from the man to the horse, who seemed bored and thankfully, not inclined to move without his master, to the area surrounding them, which held darkness, the river, and only a few people off in the distance, to Troy, who was looking back at her with an expression that told her he was pleased with himself...and that he might pounce on her any minute. Her heart started to beat a whole lot faster. She met his eyes and she saw his desire there, but she also saw that there was a small part of him that was still fighting his natural urges. She knew that was the part of him that wanted to resist moving too fast physically until they were both at the same place with this relationship, that wanted to bring pleasure to someone who was falling in love with him, not just someone who wanted that from him.

"I give," he said, with wonder, his eyes roaming over her. "Well, somewhat anyway...I can't resist you and if you have a carriage fantasy and here we sit in a carriage in Rome..." His voice trailed off as he sat staring at her, licking his lips before starting to inch closer to her.

She didn't want him to have to give in. He deserved what he was seeking. And...she realized...she could give it to him. All that she'd been processing all day had led her here to this moment, to the realization that...she wanted to tend to his heart more than she wanted to tend to either of their bodies. She was falling for him and he needed to know that before they did whatever they were going to do here, because she didn't want him to question in any way whether or not her feelings for him had to do with him or with what he could do.

"Wait!" she said, and he looked at her in surprise. "It's just, before we proceed and regardless of what, if anything, we do here, you need to know that...I'm falling for you too."

The smile that grew on Troy's face at that moment was the hugest she'd seen yet.

"I'm just...it scares me, okay? But it's there and I don't want to ignore it...and you just...deserve to know that now. So, if you want to get the driver back and go back to the hotel and watch tv or just go to sleep or whatever, we can...because I respect you and this, what we have, and I don't want you to think otherwise..."

"Gabriella," Troy interrupted, happiness and mirth in his voice, "shh..."

Gabriella looked back at him sheepishly and drew her lips back together, holding his loving gaze as he leaned forward and then shutting her eyes as his lips met hers. If it wasn't in her imagination and if it was possible, this kiss felt even better than their previous ones. It was a slow, sweet kiss...a loving kiss...and Gabriella realized she was more than okay with that. It felt so right.

As Troy pulled back from the kiss, his eyes twinkled in the moonlight. "Thank you."

Gabriella just nodded, a bit mesmerized as she sat there and stared up at him, the stars in the night sky framing his head.

"You know," he said huskily after a moment or two, "I don't want to get the driver back."

"No?" she asked, feeling warmed by the blood rushing through her veins at a dizzying speed.

"No," he answered, pausing before continuing. "I've actually always rather had a carriage fantasy myself..."

"Really?" Gabriella asked, her voice sounding a bit breathless and wanton to her own ears.

"Mmm," was Troy's only answer as he reached over and pulled her across his lap. He grunted and shut his eyes as he did so. That was a rather torturous move, but he took a breath, fixed the blanket such that it fully covered them both once more, and steeled himself for the additional torture he was about to put himself through. Torture because this was about her and how he could make her feel. Torture because the driver would return much too soon and he wasn't going to do more than this on a time clock. Torture because he knew that what he had in mind beyond this would include him needing to wait one more day. Troy brought his focus back to the present. Torture or not, he was going to enjoy this.

Gabriella could feel his arousal beneath her, which completely thrilled her and turned her on. She'd heard his grunt and intake of breath and felt powerful in the way that she affected him, that womanly power that was addictive once you realized you had it. She slid her right hand around his neck and slid her left hand slowly across his chest, circling his nipple teasingly as she reached it, meeting his eyes in silent challenge as she next dragged her finger down over it. She felt him twitch beneath her, felt his left hand that was supporting her back tighten its grip on her, and she saw the intense look in his eyes before his lips covered hers. His tongue dove into her mouth without preamble, stealing her breath and exciting her further. As his tongue sought to explore every inch of her mouth, his right hand slid up her stomach and covered her left breast. He squeezed gently and then flicked his thumb across her nipple, hardening it instantly and causing her to moan softly into his mouth. He proceeded to continue to massage her breast and tease the nipple with small, torturous flicks, sliding his hand eventually to her right breast to do the same and then returning to her left, causing her to squirm in his lap considerably, which just made him feel harder against her backside, which just made her unconsciously squirm more.

Troy's mouth remained as busy as his hand as it moved from her lips along her jaw and to her neck, awakening every nerve ending in the path he took and making them all adore him. As she felt his hand leave her breast and slide down over her right thigh, circling back at her knee, she felt his lips move to her ear and she shivered with anticipation. "This will be brief because it needs to be," he said, his voice deep and strained, "but next time..." He paused, nipping at her earlobe with his teeth as his hand began to slide back up her inner thigh. "Next time, there'll be nothing brief about it."

If his actions prior to those words hadn't already caused the heat and the wetness to begin between her thighs, those words would have done it on their own. As it was, as his hand cupped her there and began to move in a circular motion that threatened to drive her wild, there could be no doubt to him that she was aroused by all he was doing to her. As his fingers slid the thin material of her panties to the side, his mouth covered hers once again, an action she was grateful for as those fingers slid between her other slick lips and his kiss muffled her resulting cry of pleasure. He thrust his tongue back into her mouth at the exact moment he slid one finger up inside her and again, she was glad he was muffling her reactions. She gripped his back and his arm and held on as his tongue and his finger continued to move in unison, thrusting in and out, moving in a circular motion and then repeating the thrust. He added a second finger and began to massage her clitoris with his thumb and Gabriella tilted her hips further upward seeking more pressure, wanting her release. Troy delivered, increasing his tempo, conquering her mouth to further punctuate exactly how much control he had over her at this moment, and sliding his left hand around to palm her left breast and roll the nipple roughly between his fingers. She felt the pleasure rise up, up, up within her until it finally burst and she felt herself shudder in his arms and vaguely heard her own muffled cries into his mouth.

As her body calmed down into a placid state of relaxation, she let her limp limbs be supported by him further and she rested her head on his shoulder as he released her now reddened lips. She still felt his arousal against her as well as in the air around them. When she eventually forced her lazy eyelids to open, she looked up and saw a look of pure smug male satisfaction on his face, which didn't bother her one bit because he'd earned it. But she also saw an underlying tenderness, something she wasn't sure how to name, but that soothed her soul. Her lips curved into a smile to match his.

"Reality is better than fantasy," she said softly.

Troy grinned down at her. "Man, and that wasn't even my A game," he teased.

"Lord, help me," she breathed, knowing she was still staring at him like he'd hung the moon.

He chuckled, leaning in and giving her a soft kiss on the lips. "I'm really glad I'm not the only one falling here," he said softly, pulling back and meeting her eyes once more.

Gabriella smiled. "Jen told me the other day that it was fine to think, but I should also give myself a deadline to stop thinking and start doing. So, I started to do and then you made me think again," she said with a quiet laugh, drawing circles on the back of his neck with her fingers. "And what I kept inevitably thinking about was how much I enjoy being around you and how much I didn't enjoy you being upset with me the other day or me thinking that you were with someone else."

"Gabriella, I'm sorry about being an ass Sunday night..."

"No, no, no...you already apologized. That's not what I'm saying. And I was an ass Tuesday."

Troy smiled. "Lot of assiness going around."

"Yes," Gabriella agreed with a giggle. "What I was trying to say though is that I was upset Sunday because I knew I'd kissed you for more than just your grandma's sake, and certainly not out of pity, and because I knew that kissing you felt...right."

"I knew that kiss was more than an act," Troy said in a happy "aha" fashion.

Gabriella shook her head at him, humored by his pleased response. "And when I thought that you were with Evelyn...the idea of you knowingly doing that..." Gabriella sighed. "I was fooled...I didn't know Michael had a wife. But I knew you knew she had a husband, so, well...I was wrong and I'm sorry again for thinking that, but it just triggered something in me and I reacted badly."

"I get that now."

"Anyway, today I just needed to let myself really see what was in front of me and then, I knew...I just had to accept that I knew."

"I knew this carriage was a good idea," Troy joked, making her giggle again.

"Yes, it most definitely was," Gabriella agreed, looking back at him with a hungry look in her eyes that reminded him that she was still on his lap. "But I feel...kind of selfish here."

"Don't. I thoroughly enjoyed taking advantage of you," he said cheekily.

"But what about you?" she asked, shifting her weight to drive home her point.

Troy shut his eyes and reminded himself exactly why they were done for now. "I...will be okay," he said slowly, but I think for my sanity, we should just slide you over here, okay?" he said, shifting such that Gabriella was sitting once again on the carriage seat with his arm still behind her back and her legs across his lap.

"Better?" she asked, quirking a brow at him and letting her arm fall down into her lap as she reclined further on the seat.

"In a manner of speaking," he shot back, appreciating the blanket that still covered them as he heard the whistling of the driver, who was walking back down the road toward the carriage.

Gabriella grinned and, as the driver returned and Troy thanked him, she shut her eyes and laid her head back against the seat, not wanting to look the driver in the eyes right now as she felt her cheeks flush just remembering why they'd asked him to leave them in the first place. Their ride back to the hotel was quiet...peaceful. Gabriella even dozed off a bit and Troy gently woke her once the carriage had stopped.

Once outside their rooms, Gabriella stood with a bit of uncertainty. "You could come in," she said softly, fighting a yawn, much to her dismay. "I could...return the favor." Despite fatigue, she still heard the hopeful note in her voice.

Troy stood, warring with himself internally. He could, but she was sleepy... 'Thanks to me,' he mused proudly. And he had this idea in his head about what he wanted to happen for them next and how he wanted it to happen...and the idea appealed to him more than selfishly keeping her awake.

"Get some rest," he said, pulling her to him for a goodnight kiss that was both sweet and a promise that more awaited them soon. "I'll be pencilling myself in on your itinerary for tomorrow night and the next night and the night after that..."

A gleeful grin spread across her face. She felt giddy hearing those words. "Grazie, Signor," she said in a low tone, leaning out from behind her door once she'd entered her room, "for the spaghetti, the fountain, the carriage...and the rest."

"Prego, prego, prego, and prego," he answered slowly and sexily, sending her a look that continued to stir her blood before turning and entering his own room.

Gabriella locked her door, undressed and slid into her bed, more than happy, and fell asleep swiftly. Next door, Troy was making some calls and sending some emails he knew he'd be following up on in the morning and then he planned to get a good night's sleep. If all went well, he wouldn't be getting much sleep the following night.


	19. Chapter 19

**Escape to Love Chapter 19**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Day 14 - Friday

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **So, yep, I'll keep this one short...just, thank you! And, I hope you enjoy this! :-D

* * *

After her shower the next morning, Gabriella smiled to herself as she thought she heard Troy outside. Going over to her door, she peered out and confirmed it. He was working out again, out doing push-ups and crunches in the morning sun. She just watched for a few delicious minutes and then decided to go out and see him.

Troy heard her door open as he finished up his third set of push-ups. Coming to a standing position, his mouth went a bit dry and then he recovered. "Bongiorno, Signorina...did you sleep well?" rolled off his tongue.

"I did...thank you."

"Have you blown another fuse?" he asked, one corner of his lips curving as he did so.

"No," she said, stepping closer to him.

"So then, you're just feeling daring with your choice of outfit today?" he teased.

"You said a garbage bag would work. This seemed better."

"I don't know. I'm thinking the garbage bag would help me a bit more."

"I could help you," she said, glancing downward suggestively and stepping still closer.

Troy moved so that he was right on the other side of the rail from her. "You don't play fair, Montez."

"I thought all was fair. And you've seen this look before," she said, drawing his attention once again to her towel-clad body, which still had beads of moisture on it from her shower.

"Yes, but...now, it's more difficult to resist it."

"Then, don't."

"Nothing brief about it, Gabriella...remember?"

"Breakfast is skippable..."

Troy considered it. He really did. But then he thought about the emails and call he'd gotten back just a little while ago. "No, it's not...most important meal of the day...and one you like."

Gabriella gave him a humored smile. "Okay," she acquiesced, "just don't steal my bacon again."

"Mmm...can't promise that."

"What can you promise?" she asked smoothly.

With her beautiful face directly opposite his, Troy could see each dark lash framing her almond-shaped eyes. "I can promise that I won't be able to get the image of you standing here in this towel out of my head all day," he said huskily.

"How troublesome for you," she teased in a low voice.

"Indeed," Troy answered, closing the small gap between their lips and giving her a morning kiss she could promise that she wouldn't forget the rest of the day either.

* * *

Later on, having had a nice breakfast during which Troy did indeed snag some bacon for himself, the group visited more of the sites the city had to offer. They visited Capitoline Hill and its museums and the Victor Emmanuel Monument, also known as the "typewriter" or "wedding cake," related to its structure. Then, they viewed the Marcus Aurelius column at Piazza Colonna and made their way to the Pantheon.

The Pantheon was as Gabriella had seen it in photos and movies, only larger and more polished and more impressive in person. It was amazing to think that it had been built more than 1800 years ago. The group passed through the portico with its three rows of eight columns, each of which had been quarried in Egypt and then transported to Rome. They entered the cylindrical interior through the huge bronze door, taking in the light shining down from the dome's oculus 43 meters above.

As she walked around viewing the different niches and altars, Gabriella all of a sudden felt a hand grip her arm and felt a moment of alarm, but the touch was familiar. She looked down at the arm and followed its length with her eyes until she saw his outline in the shadowed recess next to one of the niches and felt more thrill than fear as he tugged her gently into the shadows with him. "Hey," he whispered against her lips before kissing them.

"Hey, yourself," she whispered back between kisses.

"Enjoying the Pantheon?" he murmured against her neck as his lips moved over it and his hands on her waist pulled her even closer to him.

"More so now," she managed, enjoying the sensation of their hips colliding.

"Just wanted to make sure you got to explore every corner of it," Troy said in a low tone, his fingers slipping up under her shirt as he said it.

As his fingers burned a titillating trail along the bare skin of her back, then slid deliciously around her sides and her stomach, beginning their ascent toward her breasts, Gabriella was glad they were positioned not only in darkness but behind a large pillar as well, hidden from the crowd, yet still able to be found at any moment. Troy must have read her mind because he next backed them up so that he was trapping her against the pillar. So positioned and with her arms up around his neck, she fought her inner urge to just lift her legs and wrap them around him.

"Do you like the corners you're exploring?" she asked breathily as his hands claimed her breasts beneath her shirt.

"Yes," he answered, eyes meeting hers as his hands circled her breasts, running up along the crease between them and then down and around their fullness. "They're rather rounded corners, aren't they?" he quietly teased.

Gabriella sucked in a breath and held his gaze. "What other corners do you want to explore?"

Troy smiled, glanced around them to make sure they were still alone in their shadowy spot, and then met her eyes once more. "All of them," he said simply and then elaborated on the point. He moved his right thumb, circling her left nipple teasingly. "I want to kiss you here." His left thumb moved up to circle her right nipple in the opposite direction. "And here."

Gabriella felt the heat stir within her. As his right hand slid from her breast down over her abdomen, she pressed her lips together and concentrated hard on not making any noise. Troy eased the pressure of his pelvis against hers somewhat so that he could slide his hand down between them. "And here," he said, fingers sliding down over her shorts into the vee between her thighs.

"Ow! Shit!" she cursed under her breath a moment later, because the jolt of pleasure that had shot through her as he'd touched her had sent her head swiftly backward into the pillar and because that had interrupted the mood of the moment.

Troy chuckled as he removed his hand and brought it up to rub the back of her head gently. He let his other hand slide out from beneath her shirt as well and just rested it on her hip. "Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes darting over her face with amusement.

Gabriella shut her eyes, embarrassed. "Yes," she mumbled. "Sorry."

"It's okay," he replied and she opened her eyes to see him grinning down at her. "We'll just make sure you're on a soft surface when I do...all of my exploring."

Oh God. Why were they in a public place right now? Did the Pantheon have restrooms? Not that that would involve a soft surface.

Troy's grin widened as he watched her face and he leaned against her again, his breath teasing her ear as he said in a low voice, "Patience."

Gabriella took a deep breath, the moistness between her legs telling her she was feeling anything but patient at this moment. Well, that and her restroom consideration...that wasn't something she'd ever thought of doing before.

"Ti voglio. Voglio fare l'amore con te," Troy whispered slowly into her ear, holding her to him more snugly for a moment.

"What does that mean?" she breathed back. He could be telling her that he loved to torture small animals for all she knew but it sounded completely delicious escaping his mouth anyway...and she suspected he was saying something much nicer than that.

"Ask me tonight," he said, pulling back to look at her once more.

His response made her tingle all over. "What are we doing tonight?"

The only answer he offered her was the perfect curve of his perfect lips before he brushed a kiss lightly against her forehead, slid his hands slowly from her, and then walked away.

* * *

Standing in front of the Trevi fountain shortly after, Gabriella thought back to being here with Troy the night before and she thought of the feel of him and his words at the Pantheon. She had stood there against the pillar for several more minutes after he'd left, partly calming her body and mind down, partly riling them back up again as she let his words and his actions run back through her brain. Now, here at the Trevi, he was 20 yards or so away from her, chatting with a few of the other tour members, but glancing her way every 30 seconds or so.

A few minutes later, having finished his conversation, he moved toward her. "And he's back," she teased, raising one eyebrow at him.

Troy smiled. "It's harder to be patient when we're so close together."

Gabriella's eyes looked over his face. "And you're not going to tell me anything about tonight either?"

"Just that I'm looking forward to it and I like surprising you."

She shook her head at him, mildly exasperated but happy nonetheless. She had no complaints about his surprises thus far. Her attention was distracted by some high-pitched laughter moving closer to them. She looked over his shoulder to see Stephanie and some of her friends walking their way.

Troy turned to see what had caught her attention and received several flirty smiles as he did. He gave them a cursory one in return and turned back to Gabriella. He hated the look on her face at that moment.

"Gabriella...I meant what I said yesterday. I've meant all that I've said," he said, lifting her chin gently with his finger.

She read his sincerity in his eyes. Still, she hated the way other women looked at him and flirted with him. The fact that it bothered her so further confirmed the feelings she'd realized she had for him, which just further scared her. She nodded tentatively at him.

Troy saw the emotions warring within her. She believed him but he wanted to reassure her more. He slid his fingers along her jaw and into her hair and cupped the back of her neck and his other hand fell into place at the small of her back. He saw her eyes widen as he pulled her the remaining distance to him and leaned in, holding her eyes for several moments before his lips touched hers.

It was a sweet kiss, though it stirred her no less than their earlier ones. It was a possessive kiss too, and that thrilled her beyond belief. When their lips separated, he still held her, his forehead against hers. She sensed that they were being watched but she didn't care. "No worries," Troy said softly but firmly. When she nodded her head this time, it was with more conviction and Troy smiled at her as they each pulled their heads back. He let the hand that had been tangled in her hair slide slowly back down over her neck, shoulder and arm until it reached her hand. There, he joined his with hers. "So...lunch?" he asked, inclining his head to indicate a place across the piazza.

Gabriella let out a short laugh. "Are you always thinking about food?"

"Not always," he answered, looking at her meaningfully. Her cheeks flushed as she understood his response. "But when it is lunchtime, yes."

She tilted her head slightly in acknowledgement of the logic and let him lead her to the cafe he'd indicated. Once settled at a table, they chatted quietly for a few minutes until they heard someone pull up a chair and sit down with them.

"So, can I join you two for lunch or would I be interrupting Act Two?" Jennifer asked saucily.

They both blinked at her, trying to keep straight faces. "Act Two?" Troy asked, feigning innocence.

"Okay, not an act, but you two put on a nice show out there," Jennifer said, eyes narrowed accusingly but playfully. Her expression softened and her face lit up with a smile. "A very nice show. You two are adorable."

Gabriella looked down with a blush and Troy looked at her, lips curving upward. "Well, if you think so, then you can definitely join us," he said smoothly to Jennifer.

"Good. I'm starving. Plus I'm happy to sit here and shoot death rays back at the bimbos."

Gabriella's eyes shot back up to meet those of her friend. "Um, yeah!" Jennifer said, rolling her eyes at her. "They totally hate you right now," she said, tilting her head back toward the fountain, where Gabriella dared to look and see Stephanie and several of the others looking their way with frowns and pouts.

She turned her head back quickly, trying not to look as pleased as she felt. Troy observed the girls and Gabriella and slid his hand across the table linking it with hers once more, visible to all. Gabriella looked over at him from beneath her long lashes and her smile warmed his heart...and made him want a fast forward button so it could be nighttime already.

"Okay, you two, let's eat...and then you two can get a room." Jennifer cracked up at the two different looks she was getting as a result of her statement and then opened her menu with a grin.

Troy and Gabriella looked back and forth at each other and then Jennifer before doing the same.

* * *

After a fun lunch, the three of them rejoined the group and Troy led everyone as they explored Piazza Barberini and then made their way to Piazza di Spagna to the famed Spanish Steps. After ascending the 137 steps and visiting the beautiful French church at the top, Trinita dei Monti, the group disbanded for some free time.

"You three have fun now," Troy said, leaving Gabriella, Jennifer, and Johanna at the bottom of the steps to go enjoy some shopping along the Via Condotti.

"Sure you don't want to join us?" Gabriella asked with humor.

"Um, no. There are way too many shops for my male senses to handle," he joked, making all three women laugh. "I'll see you all back here in a couple hours."

Having said goodbye to them, Troy set off to get some things taken care of for the night ahead.

Gabriella and her friends had fun, making their way in and out of the many stores along the Via Condotti, including Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Dior, Gucci, and Dolce & Gabbana. Jennifer left she and Johanna alone for a while, saying she wanted to go visit Cartier and Armani and see about something for her fiance. As the two women walked around together, Johanna studied items with varied amounts of interest and watched Gabriella carefully. Gabriella noticed.

"What's up, Jo?"

"Hmm?" Jo asked, trying to remain nonchalant.

"You seem like you have something on your mind...something you want to say to me, maybe?"

Jo took a breath, looked away, and then looked back at Gabriella, squaring her shoulders. "So, you and Troy...that's...good?"

Gabriella arched her eyebrows at her. "Well...yes."

"Okay."

"Jo...he's not...he's different than I initially thought."

"No, I can see that. It's not what I'm getting at." She paused before continuing. "Um, so, you don't have any feelings for Ivan then?"

"Just friendly ones, why?" Gabriella answered, staring back at her quieter friend for a moment before it dawned on her. "Oh! You like him!"

"Shhhh!" Johanna urged.

A smile formed on Gabriella's face. "Jo, you and he would be great together."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah...yeah, I do."

"So, you don't mind if..."

"No. It's sweet of you to ask, but no," Gabriella assured her, seeing the relieved smile on her friend's face.

"Okay."

"Okay."

With that said, the two girls continued shopping together and were eventually joined once more with Jennifer, who seemed pleased with her own little excursion. They met back up with their tour group at the designated time and chatted happily on the bus on the way back to the hotel.

* * *

Back at the hotel, everyone separated to either go to their rooms or go back out and do some more exploring. Gabriella left Troy in the lobby, as he told her he needed to take care of some trip business like seeing to the upcoming itineraries and such. She asked him if she should just dress as she wanted for the evening and his answer of "I think you'll figure that out" left her walking away from him, curious. Once up in her room for a few minutes, she understood. She heard a knock on her door and went to answer it, thinking it might be him. It wasn't. It was one of the hotel's bellhops. He was delivering a large, rectangular gift box to her and no, he didn't have any more information, just the box. She took it from him and shut the door. Bringing it over to the bed, she opened it and saw a beautiful shade of material lying beneath a cream envelope with her name on it. She picked it up and slid the inside card from it. His last delivery and card like this had left her frowning and stomping. This one left her grinning and anticipating.

"Wear this if you don't mind...a garbage or laundry bag won't do for tonight..."

Gabriella giggled as she read the note again and then placed it down on the bed. She reached into the box and let her fingers run over the shimmery lavender gold material inside. Next, she noticed two other smaller boxes wedged into the corner of the large one. Opening these, she found a pair of heels and a purse perfect for completing the evening's look. She took the time to freshen up, redo her makeup, and pull her hair up into what she hoped was an elegant twist.

When she finally pulled the dress out and slipped into it, she saw that the sweetheart-shaped strapless bodice was of a light creamy gold material with an intricate design created with delicate gold and dark lavender beading, which tapered into a vee waistline, a shimmery, smoky, dark lavender material cinching from the waist and down over her hips, accentuating them in a way that was nothing but flattering and feminine. The dress had small, lacy gold and crystal patches of design sprinkled along its smoky length and a few larger, diamond shaped patches at the bottom, where the dress rustled around her ankles as she twisted from side to side, taking in her appearance. The strappy bronze heels gave her a few inches of height and the canary gold clutch highlighted the whole look. She felt like a princess, a princess who wanted to see her prince.

* * *

"Thank you for this dress and the purse and the shoes," she said to him as they took the elevator downstairs a short while later.

"You're very welcome."

"For someone who doesn't put a lot of thought into clothing choices, you certainly chose well for me," Gabriella said, complimenting him, with some awe in her voice.

"Well, I'm glad you like it, but, to be fair, I can't take all of the credit."

"No?"

"No. I did ultimately choose the dress, but Jen helped me find some to choose from. She also chose your shoes and purse. I can't say as I'm an expert in women's accessories," he finished with a chuckle.

Gabriella laughed, thinking about Jennifer's confirmation that they were the same sizes as they did their shopping and about her time spent away from she and Jo this afternoon and putting the pieces together. "Well, I'm sure Jen gave you a crash course. She's kind of a fierce shopper."

Troy laughed. "Yes...she is."

Troy surprised Gabriella with yet another mode of transportation as they left the hotel that evening, a limousine. Its driver took them the short distance to their destination, which had a ring of familiarity to it as they'd just been there earlier in the day. He dropped them off at the front doors of the Hotel Hassler, also known as Hassler Roma, which sat at the top of the Spanish Steps and next to Trinita dei Monti. Troy explained that the hotel had a sixth floor panoramic Michelin starred restaurant called Imago where they'd be dining. Gabriella was enchanted before they even entered the doors and the magnificence of the lobby that met them as they entered made her feel like she might be sticking out like a sore thumb here. She was not this glamorous. Troy was, well, beautiful Troy, and even more so all cleaned up in his black suit. She was, well, short Gabriella in a really pretty dress.

"Troy, this place is..."

"Oh, wait, it gets better," he said with a grin, leading her to the elevators.

As they stepped into the restaurant on the sixth floor, she knew exactly what he meant. It was like they were entering a beautiful life-size painting of Rome. The city, in all its glory, filled each enormous window framing the restaurant. They were seated at a table next to one with chairs that had a lovely swirly red and white design, like St. Valentine himself might have given his stamp of approval for them. Soft music played around them and impeccably dressed waiters walked across the elegant marble floors with their antique-wooden inlay, catering to every need of each esteemed guest. At least, Gabriella assumed they were esteemed.

As they were served wine and bread, she noted the romantic play of light reflecting on the mirrored tables from the small red candleholders on them and from the dim recessed lighting in the ceiling. The sun was swiftly making its descent in the sky and they had front row seats for all of the brilliant colors painting the sky's expanse. They ordered, ate, spoke, and had moments of not speaking at all but just enjoying the magical atmosphere. Between Troy and their waiter, all of the major sights of the Roman skyline were pointed out to her, including the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni in Laterano, the Quirinale, Villa Colonna and the church of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, the Campidoglio (Capitol Hill) and monument of Victor Emmanuel II, Palazzo Venezia, the Aventino hill, the Pantheon, the church of Sant'Agnese in Piazza Navona, Castel Sant'Angelo, the obelisk and Trinita dei Monti Church, which she felt like she could almost reach out and touch from their vantage point, Villa Medici, and the Borghese gardens.

Looking out at a Rome now lit by lights, stars, and moonlight and then looking around again at the elegance of the restaurant in which they sat, Gabriella stored mental snapshots for herself of this moment. "It's beautiful here," she remarked softly.

"Just like you."

Gabriella blushed and looked down.

"Really. You don't believe me?" Troy asked, studying her.

Gabriella shrugged slowly. "I don't know. I just hope I pull off the glamorous thing alright. I feel a bit like an impostor."

"Gabriella, that's crazy. You are so gorgeous and graceful and elegant. I'm the impostor just being here with you."

"You're kidding, right? You are this Roman god in a well-tailored suit."

Troy's eyes grew bigger and he laughed as he saw her flush a bit at what she'd just said. "Thank you. But I'm just a man who feels privileged to be here with you right now...privileged because I'm with you, not because of where we are."

Her lips curved slowly upward until a radiant smile met him from across the table. The waiter came by at that moment to clear away their dinner plates and drop off the dessert menu for them.

"Hmm...I don't even know what all of them are, but all of these desserts sound good to me," Gabriella said with a grin. "What do you think?"

"Perhaps we should just stop at dinner here."

"You don't want dessert?" she asked in humored disbelief.

"No, it's not that," he said with a pause. "I thought we might like to have our dessert somewhere else."

"O...kay," she said slowly, observing the look on Troy's face, the look of someone who had a secret he was wanting to tell. She wondered what that was about. She didn't have to wonder long. Troy settled the bill and led her from the restaurant to the elevators.

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously, when they entered one and he chose the 7th floor button instead of that of the lobby.

Troy gave her a sexy smile...but then, she found every smile of his sexy. "I just want to show you some more of the hotel."

On the 7th floor, as they walked down the hall, Troy pointed out a few rooms, saying, "This is the room Audrey Hepburn stayed in while filming 'Roman Holiday' and this was Gregory Peck's room right next to hers...and George Clooney has stayed in this one...the Beckhams here...Grace Kelly over there."

Gabriella looked at the doors with wonder, pondering what it would be like to bump into one of the legends he'd mentioned in the hallway here. This was obviously a very high class luxury hotel. Troy stopped them in front of another door.

"And this one's our room..."

She looked at him like he was crazy. "Very funny...and mean, teasing a girl like that," she remarked, shaking her head at him.

Troy produced a key from his pocket and inserted it into the door and Gabriella blinked several times, knowing this could not possibly be real. "I wasn't really going for funny...or mean," he said slowly, holding her gaze as the lock on the door disengaged and he pushed it open.

Yep, her mouth was hanging open. She knew it was and she knew she should shut it but all she could do was walk dumbly into the room as Troy placed his hand at the small of her back and led her in. They first walked through an elegant entryway and then entered a small sitting area, where she set her clutch down on a sofa. From there, they entered a bedroom that had to be one of the most beautiful Gabriella had ever seen.

The walls were an elegant eggshell color, as were the sheets on the big, comfortable looking king size bed. The accents in the room, however, were a crimson shade of red. The accent blanket at the foot of the bed was beige with a red edge. There were two velvety red accent pillows sitting in front of the regular white pillows at the head of the bed. The backboard was a dark, espresso wood and rose up into a gilded mirror with subtle red inlays. One side of the bed had a red nightstand with a glass covering atop it, with a small, red vase with white roses and a tall, crystal lamp with a cream and crimson lampshade sitting on it. A desk table on the other side of the bed had the same glass top, lamp, and flowers, but a red velvet cloth hanging down from it. The chair near it was upholstered in red and supported by an espresso wood frame. The plush settee at the foot of the bed was upholstered in a stylish red and white polka-dotted design. There was a small round table, covered with a white table cloth and round glass top sitting near the settee. It had two champagne glasses, two napkins, and a double-level silver tray of Italian cookies, candies, and pastries sitting on it. Champagne was chilling in a standing bucket nearby. The low lighting in the room threw light shadows onto the walls, which were accented with just a few black and white framed artwork sketches.

Gabriella was speechless for several moments, just taking it all in. It was perfectly romantic. It was...a room to make love in.

"Troy, this room is...breathtaking."

"It fits you then."

"You didn't have to do this."

"Yes, I did," he responded, taking a step toward her. "Here, it's just us." Another step and his eyes met hers. "And it's more worthy of you and all you deserve..." Another step and he was directly in front of her. He leaned forward and murmured in her ear suggestively, "and it has much better sound-proofing, or so I'm told." Her knees went weak at the statement.

He stood straight again to look at her, to see the way his statement had affected her. She felt laid bare in front of him and they still had all of their clothes on. She couldn't believe they were here in this fantasy hotel suite and that they were actually going to do all they'd been longing to do. All of a sudden, she felt a bit afraid...afraid because this really did mean something...afraid because she knew that she was going to give him more than just her body tonight...

Troy cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, slowly, sensually.

"I know I kind of sprung this on you. Is this okay?" he asked, releasing her lips gently several moments later.

Gabriella choked out a small laugh, eyes a bit wet from the emotion she was feeling at Troy's sweetness and thoughtfulness surrounding this whole night. "Yes, it's...yes."

Troy's smile told her he hoped he'd hear that word leave her lips again as the night went on.

"Do you need any time...?" He let the question hang in the air.

Holding his gaze, her heart beating faster, she slowly shook her head "no." His smile curved his lips and reached his eyes and she opened her mouth to speak, hoping she wouldn't falter. "Tell me what you said earlier today at the Pantheon."

Troy licked his lips, his eyes never leaving hers, and then answered. "Ti voglio...I want you. Voglio fare l'amore con te...I want to make love to you."

Her desire for him was so thick she felt she could cut it with a knife. She felt overwhelmed by it but unwilling to flee. "Ti voglio," she repeated, reaching out and unbuttoning his suit jacket and then sliding her hands up over his abs and his chest and then his shoulders, back, and arms as she slid the jacket off of him, placing it on the settee at the foot of the bed. "Voglio fare l'amore con te," she breathed, unbuttoning his shirt, removing it, and placing it on top of his jacket, all while he watched her every move.

She let her fingers glide along his taut, smooth skin, over the muscles that showed how powerful she suspected he could be, not only in force but in restraint. She slid the pads of her thumbs over his nipples, teasing him.

He stood, unmoving, letting her explore him with her hands and her eyes, but he longed to do the same with her. He wanted them to take their time though, wanted her to have all she desired, so he let her set the pace...for now.

Her eyes met his and her hands slid up and behind his neck as she pulled him down to her. Her kiss was slow and sensual as his had been and her lips eventually glided from his to run along his face, jaw, neck, shoulder, and upper chest. Her hands, meanwhile, ran down his strong arms and then slid around his middle, first resting on his lower back and then slowly sliding lower, lightly tracing the curve of his buttocks. Troy clenched his teeth with his effort to stay controlled and when she tilted her head back from his chest and those big, chocolate eyes met his, he swiftly bent forward and captured her lips, his hands gripping her waist, then balling up the fabric at her hips and pulling her more tightly to him.

His tongue found hers and explored, teased, demanded...and she welcomed it, showing equal fervor. His hands slid up her back until he found the zipper head, sliding it down smoothly and then just holding her to him a while longer, continuing his kiss. Wanting more, he forced himself to pull back. He stared at her for a moment, contemplating, and then knelt down, sliding his hands up over one of her slender calves before sliding them back down again and removing her shoe. Gabriella would be lying if she said that whole Prince Charming image didn't cross her mind again as he kept her steady and she watched him do so with her other shoe as well. That said, she didn't remember getting to see any of the Disney princes sliding their hands all the way up the outside of their princesses' thighs and then their sides, bringing their dresses slowly up over their heads. Gabriella lifted her arms, offering no resistance as he removed the dress from her and laid it atop his own clothes on the settee. He took a moment to slip off his own shoes and socks at that point too. Then, he just stood back and looked at her appreciatively, standing in front of him in her cream-colored strapless bra and matching lace panties, her skin a liquid gold he needed to taste.

"I want to see you, Gabriella," he said, his voice deep and unapologetic and full of desire.

Gabriella felt the heat wash over her. His gaze was burning her up and he wanted to continue the incineration. She felt a contradictory mix of shyness and boldness as she slowly reached for the small clasps behind her, undoing them one by one...shyness because she wanted to be perfect for him, boldness because she wanted to experience his perfection.

Every part of him reacted as she carefully unfastened and let fall away into her hands the bra she'd been wearing, placing it with their other clothes. The room felt thick with the sound of their breathing as she reached down and slowly slid her panties down her legs and stepped from them, one lovely foot at a time, before dropping them onto the pile at the foot of the bed. Almost as an afterthought, she reached up and removed the few pins from her hair, letting it fall down over her shoulders as she placed them down on the round table. Then, she stood, her chest heaving slightly under his intense scrutiny.

"You are so beautiful," he said, his voice sounding rough as he drank in her appearance.

Gabriella smiled, then swallowed as he moved forward toward her again. She didn't have time to feel self-conscious. His lips were coaxing hers open again as his arms enveloped her. The sensation of her bare skin against his sent heat lightning through her, as did the hardness of him she felt against her belly. But he still had too many clothes on in her estimation. She slid her hands around from his back and hooked her fingers over the waistband of his pants, letting them sit there teasingly for several moments. She felt his stomach contract as he waited. Continuing to kiss him, she moved her fingers to slide the button from its hole and then she carefully pulled down the zipper and pushed the pants down over his hips, bringing her foot up to help push them down the whole way, as her hand finally closed over him through his boxer briefs and he emitted a low groan.

Gabriella stroked the length of him, straining from beneath his cotton confines. She smiled into her kiss, enjoying him and how he seemed to be enjoying her touch. Before too long though, Troy was making it difficult for her to focus on her newfound exploration since he was doing his own. Her nipples had come to life under his skilled hands as he kneaded her breasts, evoking sounds of pleasure from her. Eventually, he gently lifted her arms and brought them around his neck. Then, his hands slid down over her waist and backside and he gripped her to him as he finished stepping out of his pants and kicking them aside. Sliding his hands down behind her thighs, he lifted her from the ground and carried her over to the bed, lying her back down across it and climbing onto it next to her.

"Soft surface," he said, lips curving as he looked down at her.

"So, you intend to explore then?" she asked breathily.

"Mmm," was his affirmative answer as he splayed a hand across her breast with a newfound familiarity and leaned down to kiss her again before moving his mouth to the sensitive areas of her neck. She sighed her pleasure as his lips and tongue dragged along her skin and lavished it with attention she hadn't realized it had been lacking until now. His mouth's trail was sweeping lower and lower over her chest as his fingers were busy teasing the hardened buds on each of her breasts. Finally, she felt his warm breath on one right before she felt him enclose it with his mouth and she arched her back unconsciously, encouraging him further.

Troy circled her nipple with his tongue, sucked on it, teased it with light flicks, and sucked it again, all while hearing her panting lightly from above his head and feeling her beginning to writhe beneath him. He held her hips to the bed as he instilled his sweet torture on that breast and then her other one and then on both again.

"Troy," she breathed, half with pleasure, half with frustration, causing him to chuckle as he leaned up and kissed her mouth for another minute before returning to his ministrations at her breasts. Soon enough though, he did bury his hand in her hair and pull her into a searing kiss. As they kissed, he trailed his other hand down over her breasts and over her stomach and she felt the heat at her core as she anticipated him. But, much to her frustration, he just let his fingers rest at the base of her stomach, drawing teasing swirls and circles there. Then, he released her mouth and lay there, propped up on one elbow, staring down at her, his other hand still hovering so near her center. He held her gaze, his own heated, and then his fingers slid lower and then lower still until they slid lightly along her folds and then slid between them. It felt extremely erotic the way he was watching her as he did this and though she tried to hold his gaze as well, she couldn't help but shut her eyes and let out a moan as he found her waiting wet heat. Not that he seemed to mind. When she opened her eyes again, he was looking at her almost reverently as he stroked her, lightly and without hurry. She nearly let out a groan. How did he have this kind of patience? Troy grinned, no doubt reading her mind again. He continued to tease her, only from the outside, circling her clitoris with a wet finger and then sliding it down through her folds again. He dipped his head and kissed her breast as he did so and when she thought she might just scream from wanting, he raised his head once more, looked down at her, and slid a finger inside her, and she cried out with the pleasure of it. As he'd done the night before, he expertly built her up to a heated frenzy but he pulled back before she could find her release. And she knew he'd done it on purpose. She could see it in his eyes. She shut her eyes tightly and gritted her teeth, gripping the bed with her hands as she felt the pleasure still stir within her.

"You...are a tease," she accused, through ragged breaths, opening her eyes to look at him once more.

He let out a husky chuckle. "I'm just not done exploring yet. And I warned you I'd take my time."

"You realize that can work both ways..."

There was a gleam in Troy's eyes as he answered her. "Yes...but you're impatient." Having said this, he kissed her and slid his fingers back into her wetness, muffling her resulting moan. Her hand found his hard length and he let out a moan of his own, momentarily losing his focus on his own goals, but gaining it back soon enough, sliding further down the bed from her, breaking their kiss and her hold on him. His fingers not leaving her warmth, he moved so that he was between her legs, lifting one with his free hand and trailing kisses from her ankle, along her calf, and then along her inner thigh. His fingers curled inside her as his mouth found her most sensitive flesh. He kissed her and his tongue ran along her folds and then circled her clit, that tiny bundle of nerves swelling with her heightened pleasure. She didn't attempt to censor the sounds that were escaping her. She was beyond caring. All she had was need. And he didn't pull away this time. His fingers inside her worked in time with the actions of his mouth and tongue and she felt herself being pushed to the edge...pushed to it and over it. Her hips arched up as she came and Troy just held her thighs until the trembling stilled. Then, his tongue found her again and replaced his fingers inside of her and divided its attention along her folds until she was a shuddering mess of released pleasure once again...and she knew that the guys of her past hadn't known a thing about her and what she needed the way this one did.

Troy released her thighs and kissed his way back up her body until he reached her lips and she returned his kiss with fervor, passion, and gratitude, more turned on by the fact that this mouth had just brought her pleasure than anything. She rolled onto her side and slid her now confident hand down his body until she was stroking him with purpose. She slid her mouth down over his neck and sucked there teasingly as she brought her hand up to the band of his boxer briefs and slipped it underneath, her bare hand sliding over his hot, velvety flesh. Troy sucked in a ragged breath. Her hand encircled him and she stroked up and down slowly and smoothly, her body and her mouth shifting downward so that she could tease his nipples with her tongue, returning the torturous favor for all he had done with her. As she ghosted her lips over his rippled abs, she rose up onto her knees, bringing both hands to the top of his boxers and sliding them down, freeing his erection and then just finally freeing his body of its last piece of clothing.

And now it was her turn to drink him in with her eyes, the length of his body all muscle and man, and all beautiful, down to the light hairs that sprinkled his thighs and that formed a trail she intended to follow from below his naval down to the base of his engorged cock. He watched her with anticipation and she felt heady with her power in that moment. Her lips curved into a knowing smile and she dipped her head to kiss her way along his enticing trail, pausing, not from lack of desire but to tease him as he had her, once she reached his shaft. And, then she ran her tongue up his length, next swirling it around the tip slowly several times before running it back down the other side. She saw that it was Troy's turn to grip the bed and she inwardly grinned. But, he was right. She was ultimately impatient. She ran her tongue back up his length, swirled the tip once more and then enclosed it with her mouth, hearing Troy groan with pleasure. He groaned further as she moved her mouth downward, taking all of him in and then releasing him, inch by inch, only to engulf him again. Gabriella knew this wasn't every woman's cup of tea, but she, for one, enjoyed it...enjoyed the power not only over the hard, thick, and ultimately vulnerable flesh in her mouth, but also over the man it belonged to. Not power in a malicious way, but in a pleasing way. She knew she could bring him to great heights of pleasure and he knew it too.

"Gabriella," Troy choked out, his body tense with his desire. Smiling, she released him and looked up, meeting his eyes. He looked almost pained with his need for her, which, she thought, was only fitting because that was how she felt at that moment too. She sat up on her knees and he rolled to the side, reaching for the top drawer of the nightstand. Opening it and pushing his hand inside, he retrieved a condom from a box inside. Gabriella watched as he tore the wrapper.

"I'd say you were presumptuous, but..." Gabriella said huskily, giving a playful shrug of her shoulders.

Troy grinned, removing the condom and rolling it on carefully. Then, he moved back to her, kissing her and pushing her gently back down onto the bed and covering her body with his. His hand dipped down into her folds once more, stoking her desire further and ensuring that she was ready for him. Then, he placed himself at her entrance and slid slowly into her, inch by pleasurable inch, filling her with his heated thickness. Her legs encircled his back and she moaned with the sensation of him inside of her. He stayed still for a minute once he was fully connected to her, staring into her eyes, blue into brown, silently communicating how much this meant to him, before kissing her lovingly and then passionately as he began to move. He moved at first with long, slow strokes, probing her deeply and then retreating, building her pleasure slowly but intensely. His lips moved down to her neck and he sucked and nipped teasingly there.

Gabriella was trapped high on a cloud of wanting. She arched her hips to him with every inward stroke. She let her hands slide down and grip his muscular ass, tight with the contraction of his movement. Troy kissed her lips once more and began to pick up his tempo, giving her more of what she needed in his harder, faster thrusts. His hands came down beneath her ass, gripping it and lifting it to an angle that allowed him to thrust even deeper, escalating her cries as the feel of him inside of her and the friction of him thrusting against her pushed her toward her release. Her first orgasm joined to him shook her with its intensity. And her second one, the one she shared with him as he thrust deeply inside her and leapt and pulsed with his own release, sent her spiraling into oblivion.

They held to each other, their breathing still harsh, their blood pulsing through them rapidly. He kissed her briefly and then slid himself carefully from her, rolling onto his back and pulling her with him into his side, lovingly stroking her back as they both waited out their bodies' slow return to normal.

Eventually, he slid himself from the bed and retreated into the adjoining bathroom to dispose of the condom. He returned a minute later and laid down next to her again and she laid her head on his chest and draped her arm over his stomach possessively, enjoying the newfound comfort of lying here with him. Troy smiled down at the top of her head, running his fingers gently through her tangled hair.

"You know, garbage bags, fancy dresses, robes, and towels aside, I'd have to say this is my favorite look for you," he said, his voice low and humored.

Gabriella giggled into his chest. "This isn't exactly a bad look for you either," she responded, making him grin.

They lay there for a few more minutes of comfortable silence. "So, this date was a success then?" Troy asked teasingly.

Gabriella lifted her head to look up at him. "Oh yeah...and this dessert...way better than anything the restaurant had to offer," she said, giving him a cute wink.

Troy chuckled. "I did intend to feed you more too," he replied, motioning to the small table and tray of goodies. "I was just...anxious to get you upstairs."

Gabriella laughed, leaning up to kiss him quickly before crawling off the bed. She went over to the settee, dug into the pile of clothes and retrieved his shirt, putting it on. She held up his boxers and gave him a questioning look. He nodded and held his hand out, catching them as she threw them to him and pulling them on. She then retrieved the double-tiered tray of goodies and brought it back over to the bed. Troy sat up and helped her balance it on the middle of the bed before she climbed back up and sat next to him. "Since you mentioned it," she said with a grin, reaching over and picking up a chocolatey looking cookie.

Troy joined her in eating some of the sweets and they both reveled in the intimacy of the situation. "There is, of course, the room service option if you want anything else," Troy said. "And I'm sure we'll end up using that at some point anyway."

"At some point?"

"We have the room until Sunday, and I'm not entirely sure I'll be letting you out of the room before then, Rome be damned," Troy said with a devilish grin and a heated look that made Gabriella stop in the midst of her chewing just to crave him. She forced herself to continue on then, swallowing and looking at him questioningly.

"But the tour..."

"Tomorrow's a free exploration day. Appropriate, huh?"

Gabriella sucked in a breath, beginning to tingle with excitement. "So, we don't have to rejoin them until Sunday?"

"Nope."

"Is that very irresponsible of you? Will your mom be upset?"

Troy shook his head. "No. When she meets you, she'll be very pleased with me. As for the group, they'll be fine. And Alberto's there to answer any questions or offer rides or directions anywhere."

"But he..."

"Speaks English just fine, just doesn't usually choose to," Troy explained with a grin. "And, not that you may be needing them much, but you do have your clothes and such here. Jen helped get your stuff all packed up and Alberto drove it over here while we were at dinner. I'm guessing your suitcase is sitting in the closet over there next to mine."

"Wow. You have it all figured out. I'm impressed," she said with a smile. And she was. "But Troy, this place...you don't have to do this for me, you know. We could find some Rome Motel 8 or something if you want."

"You don't like it?"

"No, I love it. It's just...well, how did you even get a room here on such short notice? You aren't secretly some prince or something, are you?"

Troy laughed. "No. I just know some people."

"You...know some people? That's not code for you having Italian mob ties or anything, right?"

Troy laughed again. "My word, you have an imagination. No." Troy paused, got up, opened the champagne bottle and poured them each a glass, returning to the bed and handing one to her. Sitting back down and taking a sip, seeing the continued curiosity on her face, he considered for a moment and then spoke again.

"You'd really be happy with a Motel 8?"

"I don't think what we just did requires a five star hotel," Gabriella said saucily.

Troy's tongue shot out and licked his lips. "No, it doesn't."

"Seriously though, I love it, Troy. And I loved the dress and the carriage and I've loved just riding and walking around Italy with you too. Just don't feel like you have to spend a fortune on me to impress me or anything. I'd...sit here wearing your shirt either way."

Her explanation warmed his heart. "My shirt looks much better on you than me."

Gabriella's cheeks flushed with pleasure from his compliment. In general, this evening, he had just made her feel so beautiful, special, cherished, and happy. And she appreciated that more than anything else. "Well, why do you think I took it off of you?" she teased, handing him another cookie and taking another sip of her champagne.

Troy accepted it, popped it into his mouth, and made short work of it. "I was thinking there was another reason."

Gabriella shrugged playfully.

"As to the hotel," Troy said, "I think we'll stay put if it's all the same to you." Gabriella nodded and he continued. "As to who I know, it's a combination of things, really. With the tour business, sometimes my parents will get special requests and arrange them for folks on their tours, like an anniversary night spent here or things like that, so we know some people at the hotel."

"Okay."

"But, also, I have clients who stay here sometimes and I also know some of the staff here, catering managers, event planners, and such, because of that. I've shot events here too."

"So, you are actively doing photography shoots in addition to teaching?"

"Yes, sometimes."

"And you have high-end clientele?"

Troy shrugged modestly. "Yeah."

Gabriella thought about this for a moment. "I wanna see."

His stomach dropped a bit.

"Not the clients' photos or anything. I'm sure there's a confidentiality agreement for that or something. And, I mean, that's great for you if you have those clients, but I don't like you more or less because of it. I just want to know more about you, see something you want to show me, see some of your work and see how you work. Sorry. Am I freaking you out?"

Troy shook his head, amazed and happy. He reached out and slid his hand over her cheek, leaning over and capturing her lips in a sweet kiss.

"I'll show you," he promised and then gently took her champagne glass from her and sat it, with his own, on the table next to the bed. He lifted the dessert tray and set it down on the floor next to the bed.

Gabriella watched him curiously and with anticipation.

"But right now, there's something I want to see," he said, reaching toward her and slowly unbuttoning the shirt.

"You've already seen it all," she responded with breathless humor, as he released the last button and spread the shirt open, sliding it back down her arms and tossing it off to the side. She bit her lip as his eyes took in the skin he had uncovered.

"I don't know," he said, his voice low, "I'm not sure if I saw this spot right here." His finger ghosted over an area of her right side, just above her waist. Then, he bent over and kissed her where he'd just touched. "Or this one," he said, with another light touch over a spot to the right of her belly button. His lips soon found that spot as well.

Gabriella watched him, simultaneously touched by his sweetness and incredibly turned on by his actions.

"And this one appeals to me," he continued, touching and kissing a spot just under the curve of her left breast. Gabriella closed her eyes on a soft sigh. She opened them again to find him staring into them. "Oh no, Montez," he said huskily, tongue licking his lower lip thoughtfully. "I think it could take me some time to see it all."

Holding his gaze, she answered him, her own voice filled with desire. "Well, then...you'd best keep going."

He moved forward, his lips just barely touching hers. "I was hoping you'd say that," he murmured, before claiming her lips and laying them back down on the bed with the intention of eventually claiming much more.

* * *

Author's Note: By the way, the room exists. Just go to hotelhasslerroma dot com and watch the slide show of images that goes by...you'll be able to tell which room it is. :-) Well, hope this was all you hoped for...and as to the rest of the tour, I most certainly have plans for these two... ;-) xoxo, Mel


	20. Chapter 20

**Escape to Love Chapter 20**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Day 15 - Saturday

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I'm glad you guys enjoyed last chapter. This one's long too and has a mix of hot and sweet and learning some more about them, mainly Troy. Oh, and I saw Beastly last week and just wanted to say 1) I totally enjoyed it and 2) I was really unspoiled for that movie, I promise...I really didn't know they had some flower/rose symbolism there too. Ha! Anyway, it was good. And, some had asked about Gabriella's dress from the last chapter. I was inspired by the dress that I now have a link to on my profile page. So, it's pretty close to that but perhaps without the drama of the train and the gold crinoline in front. Now, anyway, on to the chapter...enjoy!

* * *

"God, Gabriella...you feel...so...hot," he said, groaning with the pleasure of it.

"Well, that's...your...fault," she gasped, alive with sensation as he thrust into her again.

They were fast becoming very comfortable with each other in this new arena of their relationship. They had slept peacefully tangled in each other's arms after they'd made love for the second time the night before. And this, their bodies' need for each other again, was their wake up call.

"You're right," he said a few moments later with a devilish grin, deliberately slowing down his pace. "You probably want to cool down some."

"No...not particularly," she gritted out.

"Then, what do you want?" he asked, his face inches from hers, an enticing droplet of sweat on his brow. She reached up and wiped it away with her thumb.

"I want...you on your back," she said, eyes sparkling.

Troy sucked her lower lip between his own for a few heartbeats and then smoothly rolled them over, so that she was on top.

Smiling, she leaned down and gave him a long, stimulating kiss. Then, she sat up and began to roll her hips teasingly. "Now, you're at my mercy," she said, watching him, seeing the unhidden pleasure on his face and the tension in his upper body as she raised herself up and lowered herself inch by inch over his hard length, mimicking his own slow strokes of a few minutes ago.

"I've been at your mercy, Gabriella, since the day I met you," he managed, his breathing stunted as she continued to move up and down on him, squeezing him with her inner walls and torturing them both.

Something about that simple statement spurred her desire on further and she gradually increased her pace, catching sight of herself in the mirror above the headboard and feeling further pleased at the sight of her own flushed skin and pleasured expression. She saw her own eyes flutter closed as she felt his hands on her breasts, lifting, massaging, rolling her hardened nipples between his fingers. She moaned as she continued her determined movements.

Troy grunted his further enjoyment too, eventually moving his hands down to grip her thighs and thrusting upward, hearing no protests from her regarding his own active contributions.

Gabriella was panting, getting close but still reaching. But, as Troy slid a hand inward over her thigh and unerringly found her most sensitive bundle of nerves, pressing his thumb to it and thrusting hard at the same time, she felt the hot shock of it vibrate through her. He didn't let up and neither did she until, his name on her lips, she found herself collapsing on top of him. She heard the guttural sound of her own name as Troy grunted and came within her.

She lay atop him for several more minutes, enjoying the feel of their slick bodies pressed together and the raw male scent of him. It didn't matter that they both needed to shower or brush their teeth. This intimacy erased those to dos from the forefront of their minds. Gabriella brought her lips to his shoulder and placed a soft kiss there. Then, she eased herself away and lay down next to him.

"Good morning," Troy said, chuckling softly, eyes still closed.

"Good morning," she returned, softly as well. She stared at the ceiling thinking about how much things had changed between them over the past two weeks. Now, she wanted him near, wanted to hear his voice and what he had to say, wanted to know him and wanted him to know her. Could this really lead somewhere? It certainly seemed to be leading her now.

"So...room service?" Troy asked, turning his head and opening his eyes to meet hers.

"Sure."

Troy leaned over and brushed his lips over hers. "I need to refuel. You wear me out, Montez."

Gabriella grinned. "Get used to it."

Troy's eyes sparkled in the room's soft morning light. "I could definitely get used to this," he said, holding her gaze for several beats before rolling off the bed and making his way into the bathroom.

Gabriella knew she had a smile plastered to her face. She lay still for another few seconds and then got up from the bed, walking over to the closet across the room and opening its door. Inside, she did indeed see their luggage and she pulled her suitcase out, digging in it and pulling out her toiletry bag. She left everything else, as she had seen two plush robes hanging up and just opted to put one of those on. She grabbed the other one for Troy in case he wanted it and set it on the bed before going into the sitting area and locating the room service menu. Walking back into the bedroom, she saw that Troy had returned and was slipping into the other robe. She smiled at him, set the menu down in front of him and carried her toiletries into the bathroom, disappearing for a couple minutes herself.

"What are you hungry for?" she asked when she re-emerged. She took a few moments to properly hang up her dress from the night before in the closet and to make a neat pile of the rest of their clothes.

"Anything. Everything," Troy answered, handing her the menu after a few more moments of studying it.

"Helpful," Gabriella said with a playful roll of her eyes, curling up on the corner of the settee not occupied by clothing and considering their breakfast options.

"You choose. Select several things and we'll just sample it all."

"Alright, I will," she said agreeably.

Once she had ordered, Gabriella returned to her spot on the settee and looked over to see that Troy was rummaging through one of his smaller bags in the closet. After a few seconds, he turned and she could see he was holding a camera, and one that definitely looked more sophisticated than hers.

"What kind of camera is that?"

"A Canon 5D, Mark II."

"Which is apparently a very good one?"

Troy grinned, his fingers moving dials on the camera. "Yes. It's one of my favorites to shoot with."

"How many do you use?"

"I use three main camera bodies and a variety of lenses," Troy answered, holding the camera up in front of him and snapping a photo in her direction, then looking back at the camera, adjusting something else and snapping another.

"Hey! I'm unshowered and have wild woman hair," Gabriella protested.

"Yep...gorgeous."

"Troy..."

"Gabriella," he said, mocking her playfully as he knelt down in front of her and pointed the camera up at her face. "Smile."

She rolled her eyes, but did as he said, grinning down at him a second later. He leaned in closer and snapped another photo. "Do you get up in everyone's face or am I just special?"

"Yes."

"To which option?"

"Both."

Gabriella shook her head at him. "Do they all wonder whether they should kiss you or smack you?"

Troy's lips curved higher from behind the camera as he took another shot. "I don't know. Can't say as I've asked them."

"Ah."

He pulled the camera down so she could see the almost boyish look on his face at that moment. "So, what did you decide?"

"Jury's still out."

He gave her an exaggerated pout. Laughing, she leaned down and he met her halfway for a sweet kiss. Pulling back, she motioned toward the camera. "Why haven't I seen you using this earlier in the trip?"

Troy shrugged and stood up, placing his camera down for a moment so that he could move the pile of clothing to another spot. Having cleared off the other corner of the settee, he grabbed his camera and sat down, facing her. "I brought some gear along but I just haven't felt inspired enough to bring it out until now."

"To chronicle my sex hair?" Gabriella asked with a quirk of one brow.

"Yes. I'll do a whole show on it. I'll need to take photos of all its variations though," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"I'm not sure if my parents would be as proud of the show as you'd be."

"Would anyone be as proud as I'd be?" Troy teased with a wink.

"Not likely."

They sat grinning at each other for a long moment before Gabriella broke the silence again. "So, what are you adjusting when you're turning the dials and such?"

Troy scooted closer to her and she did the same, as he held the camera up to show her. "See, first I set the aperture so I can account for the depth of field I want," he said, pointing to the settings window on the top of the camera and then to the dial on the back of it, which he turned so she could see how the number adjusted.

"With you, I wanted a thin depth of field, to just emphasize you and not the surroundings." Saying this, he showed her one of her photos on the back display.

"Oh, wow, things around me are fuzzier. That looks pretty cool."

Troy smiled. "And, I was trying to get the proper shutter speed and exposure for the lighting in the room," he said, showing her the differences between his photo takes and showing her where on the camera he adjusted each aspect. Gabriella seemed to be paying attention intently, asking follow up questions and wanting to see the camera herself and Troy felt more positive about photography than he had felt in some time...since Katherine had marred the career for him in some ways.

The food they had ordered arrived, interrupting Troy's camera tutorial. It was set up at the small round table for them, where they sat and ate and continued to talk.

"What was your most recent shoot?" Gabriella asked.

"I did family photos for some friends."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yep, they had their second daughter a month ago, so I did some newborn and family shots."

"Wow, that's great. So, you really do a variety of shoots?"

"Yeah."

"What types are your favorite?"

"I don't know. The variety's good. Sometimes, I just like to capture objects or landscapes. Other times, I like getting caught up in the excitement of a 1st or 50th birthday party or a wedding. Other times, I really just like hanging with couples or families and just capturing the way they care about each other."

"I like how you described that...capturing," Gabriella commented.

"Well, that's my style really. I'm not one for real formal posing. I'm more about feeling things out, seeing the natural interactions, and documenting that."

"Photojournalistic."

"Yes."

"You tell a story."

"Like you."

"Not all of my stories have been very interesting."

"Like?"

"Hmm. I've done pieces on the importance of a good bra fitting and, oh, a personal favorite, what your socks say about you."

Troy laughed. "I don't know. Those sound rather interesting to me."

"I'm sure," she said dryly. "But I have gotten to do some interesting features like covering females' perspectives on the possibility of a female president during the last election and writing about women who have had multiple successful careers within their lifetimes."

"Did wearing certain socks help them with that?" Troy couldn't resist asking, seeing her narrow her eyes at him. "Just kidding. Those sound like some in-depth articles and important ones too. It seems like your editor really trusts your writing ability."

Gabriella smiled. "I guess so. She's pretty great to work with, actually. And, I shouldn't knock the lighter articles because, in reality, sometimes those are the only ones I want to skim through in a magazine."

"But it's fine to feel more passionate about the other ones."

"I'm feeling more and more passionate about this one," she said, holding his gaze.

"Oh, really?"

"Mmmhmm."

"And, why is that Ms. Montez?"

"Because Italy's not just a destination now. It's not just history, art, culture, and beautiful landscapes. It's also you...and I feel more and more passionate about that...about you...every day."

Troy swallowed the sip of juice he had just taken, his heart thumping a bit harder at her confession. And she'd said it so boldly too, certainly, which made him feel warm...hopeful...excited. He scooted his chair the short distance so that he was directly next to her. Her expression was pleasant...not surprised, just warm and welcoming. "You realize I need to kiss you now," he said, his face moving closer to hers.

"I need to kiss you too," she whispered back, her lips meeting his in a lengthy kiss.

Finally pulling back, he grinned at her. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"I thought I wasn't allowed to leave the room."

Troy shrugged sheepishly. "I am absolutely fine with that plan but I'm happy to go out somewhere with you too if you want. The where doesn't matter so much as the who."

Gabriella smiled, remembering that she had said something similar when he'd asked her about her idea of the perfect date. "Hmm...do you have any suggestions? What about places you've done photo shoots? You can show me more of what you do."

Troy looked thoughtful for a few moments and then nodded his head. "I know where we can go. A few places actually."

"Great! I'm done eating. I'll go get showered."

"Hmm...to join you or to secure transportation?"

"My feet would appreciate the transportation."

"You wouldn't appreciate me joining you?"

"I would...but we're trying to leave the room, aren't we?"

Troy chuckled. "Fine. I'll get things arranged and then grab a quick shower after you," he said, rising from his chair and moving toward the phone on the bedside table.

"Sounds like a plan, Stan," Gabriella said playfully, standing and moving in the direction of the bathroom.

Troy feigned an outraged gasp. "You think my name is Stan? I let you have your way with me and you don't even know my name?"

Gabriella turned back toward him, grabbed her bra from the top of the clothes pile Troy had moved to the desk chair and flung it at him. "Dork," she tossed over her shoulder at him before closing the bathroom door behind her.

Troy let out a hearty laugh and stared after her. It felt good to be this silly with someone. With her, specifically. It felt...natural...right...like they'd been like this for years, not days. He reached for the phone and dialed the front desk. He arranged for a vespa rental and then called Alberto to check on the tour group. Then, he picked out a shirt and shorts for the day and threw them onto the bed.

The bed. The memories they'd already made there would be cemented in his mind forever, no matter what happened between them, and he didn't want to think about that right now. Most relationships didn't start on such an accelerated timeline. He wanted to enjoy this newness, the exhilaration of it, like anyone else would. Feelings were most definitely there, but was he ready to think about the tough questions? Not today. Today, they would spend getting to know each other better, getting to enjoy just being together.

* * *

"Where are we headed?"

"First, we're going to the sweetest smelling place in Rome," Troy answered, waiting as Gabriella slid her arms around him before setting off.

Their ride was short but enjoyable. After parking on a quaint street, they walked the short distance to their destination.

"Roseto Comunale," Troy announced, "Rome's public rose garden."

Gabriella's eyes lit up as they entered the large green area via an arch covered in roses. Everywhere she looked there were roses, in all different colors, styles, and sizes. They occupied typical bushes, climbed up over fences and arches and gazebos, were wrapped into the shapes of hearts and other configurations, and were just glorified in this green haven of the city.

"This is so beautiful. There are so many of them," she breathed, at a loss for a better assessment of all she was seeing.

"Come on," Troy said, leading her to various areas of the garden. Within one of the arched pathways, he pointed out some heart shaped rose-surrounded vines that formed a window, of sorts. "This, naturally, lends itself to photo options."

"Like having the couple stand in front of the heart?"

"Sure...or having, say, the woman stand a little to its side here and the man stand on the outside of the arch a few feet away, looking in through it at the one he loves. Or, oh, and this is one of those things I've gotten yelled at for by the gardeners here, having the couple stand one on either side of the heart opening, holding hands as I climbed on top of the arch and took the shot looking down on them. I also did one of those with him holding her hand up within the heart to show off the engagement ring."

"Wow...okay, those are much more creative than what I was picturing."

Troy smiled. "It's fun to try to find new ways to show the same things. And, the standard ways tend to be appreciated too."

"Vuoi per scattare la foto?" an older woman said, walking through the arched pathway with her husband.

"Sicuro. Grazie," Troy answered, taking a moment to look through his camera to see that the settings were appropriate before handing his camera over to the woman and showing her how to take the photo.

Troy moved over next to Gabriella by the heart window and she gathered that the woman was going to take their picture together. He wrapped his arm around her and she him and they took a standard one in front of the window. Gabriella expected that to be it but Troy informed her he'd asked the woman to take a few. He turned to face her, placing his other hand on her back and she slid her other arm around his waist. They stood there framed by the rose and vine heart, Troy staring down at her and she staring up at him, a happy smile on both their lips and their eyes indicating that there was no one else they'd rather be sharing this moment with. They faintly heard the click of Troy's camera as the woman snapped their picture. Then, they met each other in a sweet kiss, also hearing the sound of the camera's shutter as they did so. Pulling back a moment later, they shared a grin and Troy turned to thank the couple before they returned his camera and moved on. Gabriella called a "grazie" to them as they walked off as well.

"So," Troy said, a slight blush on his cheeks, which Gabriella had to blink to make sure she wasn't imagining, "those...will be the cheesy, standard kind...hope you don't mind."

Gabriella laughed. "I don't mind."

"Good."

"Hmm," Gabriella said coyly after a moment. "I have another idea for this heart."

"And what is that?"

"I think you should give me your camera and then you should go out there about five feet or so..."

"And?"

"And...take off your shirt...the heart can frame those abs...I can make postcards out of it and send it to friends," she finished with a devilish grin, holding back giggles as she saw the look on Troy's face.

"Or...I could just...tickle you senseless until you forget about that horrible idea!"

Gabriella laughed uncontrollably as he chased her down the archway and did just that. When their silliness had abated, they walked on and Troy showed her some things about nature photography and macro shots of the roses, letting her try her hand at it as well. Leaving the garden some time later, they ascended the quiet neighborhood's hill and Troy showed her a spot at the top with a gate, where if you looked through the gate's keyhole, you saw a charming view of St. Peter's framed by the keyhole and two lines of rose bushes. It was beautiful and the whole area left the sweet smell of roses in Gabriella's nostrils as they got back on the vespa and headed to their next destination, a little ways out of the city.

* * *

"So, what are your least favorite types of shoots?" Gabriella asked, as they were seated at the open air restaurant looking down over the beautiful volcanic crater lake below, Lake Albano.

"Probably bridals. It's harder to maintain my style. I do, to an extent, but everyone wants those to look so perfect and posed. They have traditional ideas about them."

"Sounds like you've been frustrated a time or two."

Troy chuckled. "You could say that. Like when moms ask 'Why do you want her to lie down? Why would she lie down?' like I'm making some commentary on their daughters' virtues or something as opposed to just getting fun or flattering angles."

"Well, it is you...maybe they think you have other motives," Gabriella teased, taking a sip of her crisp, cold white wine and taking in the delightful smell of peaches and strawberries in the air.

"Ha. Ha."

"What else?"

"I've had moms complain about their daughters' hair being blown naturally by a breeze...the look I was actually capturing...annoying."

"Well, what do they want you to do about it?"

"Usually Photoshop it somehow, which is amusing too...some want to have their glasses photoshopped out of a photo or in, some want hair wisps tidied up or want waists cinched, arms thinned, even heads moved from one photo to another. All kinds of things."

"And can you do all of that?"

"Well, yes, for the most part, but it's still obnoxious."

"Because you're capturing their natural moment of beauty and they want to make it less natural?"

Troy smiled at her understanding. "Exactly."

"But you enjoy photographing the bride and groom?"

"Yes, though the engagements are usually the most fun to do. I like to capture the interactions between people and those types of shoots usually afford plenty of that." The waiter came and took their lunch order and left them to continue their discussion.

"I don't know if you would have enjoyed doing Sharpay's engagement photos," Gabriella said, one corner of her lips lifting.

"Because she wanted them done in a very particular way?"

"Yes, with lots of posing and time for makeup checks and outfit changes."

"Oy."

"Yeah. But that's Shar. She wants everything to be perfect and sometimes she forgets that it already is. She has Zeke. He's a great guy and he makes her so happy."

"And the fame she seeks?"

"It's something she's held onto as her dream since she was a little girl. She loves to entertain and to slip into characters. She's really good at it too. It's not a bad thing. She's passionate about it."

"How does Zeke fit in though?"

"He's her rock. He's supportive but he also keeps her grounded as much as possible. And she dreams big and knows how to set goals and take steps to reach them, which has been something he has needed in realizing his own dreams as a chef."

"Well, it's good that they seem invested in each other."

"They are. Definitely. Shar is...extreme in a lot of ways but she does have a grounded side, and that side is very much in love and very much devoted to all those she loves."

"You've known each other a long time?"

"Yeah, since we were in grade school."

"And Taylor and Kelsi?"

"Since grade school and junior high, respectively."

"I'm glad you have such good friends."

"Me too."

The waiter arrived with their food then and they began to eat.

"Tell me about some of your friends," Gabriella encouraged.

"Well, there's Zio, Fabrizio's his full name, and his wife, Anna. They're some of my closest friends. They're the ones I recently did the family shoot with. He and I met years ago when mom, dad, and I used to come over here to visit my grandparents. His family lives in Montalcino but he, Anna, and the girls now live in Bologna. You can meet them if you want when we're there this Thursday. I was planning to hang out with them for dinner that night."

A smile curved Gabriella's lips. "I'd like that as long as they don't mind."

Troy's smile matched hers. "Good. I think you'll like them. There's also Emilio, Stefano, Perlita, and Rosa, colleagues of mine at the college. We go out sometimes, they give me crap...you know, typical friend stuff."

Gabriella laughed. "The college...in Milan?"

"Yep."

"Is that where your apartment is? I don't think you've actually ever told me."

"Oh...yeah."

"And when you teach in Florence?"

"I stay at Nonna's or with friends. With other areas, it's a hotel or with friends if necessary."

"Ah."

They finished their meal, continuing to converse and then walked around the picturesque area, Troy sharing some of his landscape photography tips with Gabriella and both just enjoying the cooling lake air.

* * *

"This place is amazing. I feel like a broken record here but that's kind of my impression of Italy over and over again," Gabriella said, as they walked past a grand oval fountain on the grounds of Villa d'Este in Tivoli, their third stop of the day.

"I still love it here, don't get me wrong, but still, you are making me see it all through your eyes, like it's the first time again. That's pretty enjoyable. Thank you."

Gabriella stared up at him with wonder. "You're welcome. I've enjoyed seeing it all through your eyes. Your mom was onto something getting you to help lead tours."

"Thanks, though I think the whole only child thing naturally nominated me," Troy said wryly.

"Perhaps," Gabriella allowed. "But I think she still knew you'd be good at it."

Troy shrugged. "Maybe. This time though, she was doing what your friends were doing, trying to snap me out of my funk."

"Well, aren't we a funky pair?" Gabriella joked lightly.

"Not as much as we were."

"No...definitely not."

They continued to walk along through the area of the gardens known as The Hundred Fountains, comfortably silent for several minutes, during which Troy's hand found hers and joined with it.

"So, what do you want to do with your life, Montez?"

"That's a big question."

"And you've had an answer to it since you were a kid, I'm sure."

Gabriella observed the peaceful spray of the fountains they were passing and enjoyed the sound of the water alive all around them. "I want...to be happy. Anything else you think of as a kid is just the means to that end; you just don't realize it."

"True. But what makes you happy? What will make you happy in the long run?"

"Well, my family and friends make me happy now. And having a job I love does too. Those things...spending time with people who mean a lot to me and doing things I enjoy doing will make me happy in the long run too." She looked over at Troy and saw him accepting her answer and she continued even though she probably could have stopped at that. "And, yes, I want to share my life with someone, be married, have children, sit on the proverbial rocking chairs someday."

"I hear they're rather comfortable," Troy said with a teasing grin, but he loved her answer.

Gabriella smiled at him. "And you?"

"Honestly, I want the same. I thought that maybe I didn't anymore, but I do."

Gabriella took in some more of the fountains they were passing, trying to control the burst of hope that threatened from within her. She couldn't possibly feel this much for someone she had known such a short time, could she? It was crazy. But there was no way in hell she wanted to stop exploring it.

Troy was pleasantly surprised by his own admission. It was who he was and he didn't want to try to hide that or put it aside anymore. And he definitely wanted to be straight about it if this beautiful woman next to him could be that woman, his future.

* * *

Driving back to the hotel, Gabriella held to Troy tightly. He was driving safely but speedily and she didn't mind. She wasn't in any hurry to let go.

In the lobby, she thought her eyes might bug out of her head as someone called Troy's name and he turned, greeting "Hey, you two! It's been a long time. How are you doing? How are the kids?"

"They're great...left them with the grandparents so we could enjoy a little trip for ourselves here, but they're wonderful. Growing leaps and bounds every day."

"That's awesome."

"We should get another family shoot done soon. You have any availability?"

Troy shrugged with a slight grin. "Eh, I should. Just let me know when and where and such."

"Okay. We will. We'll shoot you an email soon. So, life's treating you well too these days?"

The insinuation was there and the two pairs of eyes looked kindly and interestedly at the raven-haired woman by his side. Troy's eyes widened and he made a face at himself. "I'm sorry. I suck. Gabriella, this is Matt and his wife, Luciana."

"Hi," she offered, shaking their hands and thinking 'yeah, I know...Matt Damon and his wife...holy crap.'

They all chatted for just a few more minutes and then Matt and Luciana headed out. They had a dinner reservation in town, they said. Troy led Gabriella, who hoped she still looked composed, toward the elevator and up to their floor.

"You look...shell-shocked," Troy said, as they walked toward their room.

"I do? Crap. I probably do. Well, I mean, that was kind of crazy. Obviously not kind of crazy for you, I guess, but wow...crazy."

"Um, yeah...clients...not that you didn't get that from our conversation, I'm sure."

"Mmmhmm," Gabriella said, sure she sounded a bit more high-pitched than normal, as they entered their suite.

Troy scrunched his face up in contemplation as he looked back at her. "I said I had famous clientele."

"I know."

"There are others."

"I didn't think you were lying. It's just...being faced with it...well, it just throws a girl for a loop. A happy loop, but an odd one too."

"Happy, not bothersome?"

"No...not bothersome."

Well, at least she thought so, Troy thought, trying to remind himself that Gabriella hadn't pounced in any way during their conversation. She just genuinely had seemed in awe. Katherine would have invited herself to dinner with them.

"Do you want to have dinner in or go to one of the restaurants?" Troy asked, changing the subject.

"In is fine," Gabriella answered quietly.

"Okay," Troy said, heading toward the bedroom to retrieve the menu from this morning.

"You choose this time," Gabriella said, slipping her shoes off and going into the bathroom to freshen up.

Troy did so, calling in an order and then sitting down on the settee and flipping through his camera, looking through the photos they'd taken that day.

"I like our cheesy heart photos," Gabriella said, lying down on her stomach on the bed behind him, looking over his shoulder at the photos.

Troy smiled back at her and then looked forward again, moving through some of the other photos. "I like that one too," she commented regarding a photo he had taken of her amidst the long row of fountains they had walked along.

"You could be a model, you know," he said, trying to keep his tone light. He turned to see the way she had screwed up her face at him. "I'm serious."

She looked like she still didn't exactly believe him. "Well, thank you, but I'll stick to writing, thanks."

"Are you sure? You could model, act, be in movies with Matt and, oh my, George even."

"You hang out with George Clooney too?" she said, with further disbelief.

"That depends on how much you want to meet him," Troy half joked.

Gabriella shook her head at him. "I'm a writer, not a model or an actress. And, what girl wouldn't want to meet George Clooney? You can't hold that against me."

"You don't want to be famous? Come stay at places like this all of the time?"

"I mean, if someone wants to give me a Pulitzer someday...no, really, I'm content being me, known only to the people directly in my life. And, yeah, this place is great, but so is my parents' place and my favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant where I meet my friends sometimes. Why are you grilling me on this? And why are you so concerned with Sharpay's aspirations too? Are the famous just crappy clients and you have a chip on your shoulder about them or what?" Gabriella asked, holding Troy's gaze, trying to understand where this was coming from or if she was just reading too much into it.

A knock sounded at the door and Troy set his camera down and stood, going to open the door for the room service delivery. Once their food had been set up at the table again and the server had left, they both sat down to begin eating, but Troy knew Gabriella was still watching him, waiting for his response.

"Nonna didn't tell you what Katherine does, did she?"

"No," Gabriella answered slowly.

"She's a model and an aspiring actress."

Gabriella took this in. "That doesn't mean everyone who is is bad, Troy."

"I know that. In theory, I know that."

Gabriella thought back to some of the things Troy's grandmother had said to her the weekend before. "Your grandma said Katherine used you. Did she use you for your connections?"

"Yes."

"Ah. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Troy took a breath and chewed the bite of food that he'd shoved into his mouth. Gabriella took a bite of her food too as they sat in silence for several moments. "At first, she just got a spectacular portfolio," Troy began. "I was happy to help her with that, of course...honored. And, I was happy to introduce her to people and take her along on jobs and such. She was my girl. I was proud."

Gabriella nodded, listening intently.

"I told myself she was interested in what I did and that, of course, she should explore her interests if she liked modeling and acting. I overlooked the ways in which her interest seemed selfish at times. And, I overlooked how she was with her family and mine, for that matter. I figured it was complicated. She had always told me how under appreciated she had felt growing up. I didn't realize at the time that was because she didn't think she could ever feel appreciated enough. Her parents are great people. I know that now. And, with my family, well, I figured it would just take time for them to warm up to her and vice versa. You can tell yourself a lot of things when you're in love." He saw Gabriella nod again and took a sip of wine before continuing. "Long story short, I eventually noticed that she was only happy with me when I was helping to further her career. She didn't want anything to do with the rest of it. And, then I figured out she'd been cheating on me...sleeping with those who would help her more with her ambitions. Luca wasn't the only one, but he got her some important layouts in some prominent European magazines. It helped her gain more notice. He was used too but he doesn't care. I'm pretty sure those two are still in touch."

"Troy, I..." Gabriella didn't quite know what to say.

"You don't have to say anything. I just wanted to explain. Because you need to know that if I'm appealing for those reasons, for what I can offer to a career or whatever, I'm not going down that road again. It has to be more. And, I'm not saying that I think that of you, but I can't help but ask...it's, well, protection I guess."

"I understand that. I do. But you're right to not think that of me. As to Shar and her aspirations, she's doing just fine on her own. And even if she wasn't, I wouldn't date someone or sleep with someone, for that matter, just to help a friend further her career. And, I don't have to tell her anything about your high end clientele. I'll keep that to myself all around."

"Okay."

"And, as for me, sure I think it's kind of awesome that you have this successful photography career. I also think it's awesome that you visit your grandmother a lot and help with the family vineyard. I think it's great that you fixed up a classic car with your dad. I think it's fantastic that you appreciate this country so much. I think it's fabulous what you know in _that_ arena," she said, grinning and blushing as her hands gestured toward the bed.

Troy smirked a bit at this as well.

"I think your cheesiness, if properly directed, is adorable. And I can tell you were raised to be a gentleman and I find that appealing. Your obsession with desserts is quite cute, though the fact that your body doesn't seem to know what fat is is a little annoying."

Troy chuckled, watching her as she became more and more animated. "You're obviously a great planner, so that's a point in your favor. And you seem to have charmed my friends, here and back home...another plus. When you kiss me, I lose sense of space and time. And I feel like a thirteen year old girl when I hold your hand, but a much happier thirteen year old than I actually was. All of this horrible rambling to say that I find a lot appealing about you, okay? But if you make me tell you all of that again, I may revert back to seeing you as a cocky bastard."

Troy laughed, a long, happy laugh, and Gabriella joined in with her own laughter a few seconds later. "Lord, you're verbose!" he teased.

"Told you. Writer."

"Thank you," Troy said sincerely.

"You're welcome," she answered just as sincerely.

They sat and ate more of their dinner in silence for a couple minutes. "George is totally not looking for the whole married rocking chair thing, you know."

Gabriella's eyes widened as she stared across the table at him, seeing his eyes sparkle.

"He's a good guy though. Oh, and he doesn't request any touch ups. Very pleasant to work with," Troy remarked, reaching over, lifting her jaw with his finger to help her close her gaping mouth, and then returning back to nonchalantly eating his dinner.

* * *

After dinner and more enlightening discussion regarding Troy's clientele, the pair found themselves curled up on the sofa in the sitting area, sipping some of the Hassler's signature Veruschkas, which were an invigorating mix of pomegranate juice and sparkling Italian wine. They had already sampled some of the best Bellinis they'd ever had with dinner and had moved on to these drinks.

"Fruity enough for ya?" Troy joked.

"Definitely. These are delicious," Gabriella answered.

"Good."

"You know, Monday night, after you had made and brought me the Italian Sunrise, I kept thinking that I'd like to be sitting along the pool letting you pour it on me and lick it up."

Troy raised his eyebrows at her, amused.

"And I don't know why I just told you that," she said, blushing and putting her free hand up to her face.

"Sure you do," Troy said, taking a sip of his drink and then setting it down on the end table nearest him before sliding closer to her.

Gabriella looked up and sucked in a breath at his nearness. Following last night and this morning, they had spent most of the day rather innocently and now, here they were, the tension between them pleasantly high again. Troy reached out and took her glass from her hand gently. "Wait...Troy...we could stain the couch."

Troy considered this. He dipped a finger into the glass and then rubbed it across her lips, next leaning forward and kissing them. Pulling back, he dipped his finger into the liquid again and started to rub it across her lips once more, but this time, Gabriella parted her lips and sucked his finger into her mouth, holding his gaze as she sucked the juice from it. Troy's eyes darkened with passion. When she released his finger, he placed the glass down on the end table behind her and then reached down, pulling her shirt from its hem up over her head and then dropping it down behind him on the sofa. His eyes ran down over her torso, appreciating the black lace bra she was wearing. The cream color against her skin last night had appealed to him in one way and this sheer black material against her skin now did no less to turn him on. Reaching out, unbuttoning and unzipping her shorts and pulling them down over her hips and down her legs, the heat filled him further as he saw more black lace. Gabriella noted his appreciation.

"Two of Shar's contributions," she said, voice amused.

"Mmm. I like Shar."

Aside from being pleased that he appreciated her undergarments, Gabriella felt pleased to hear him say something positive about her friend, given some of his earlier concerns about her. "She tends to have some good ideas, whether I know it at the time or not," she conceded.

Troy smiled and reached behind her for the glass once more. He trailed his newly wetted finger down over the side of her neck, his mouth following the trail his finger had taken, sucking the juice from her skin. Gabriella relaxed back against the end of the sofa, giving him further access to continue his delightful actions.

The reddish liquid painted a trail down between the small swells of her breasts. His mouth followed the trail until it was stopped by her bra. He moved lower, painting a liquid circle around her belly button and following it with his tongue, making her shake slightly, partly from ticklishness and partly from desire. He dipped several fingers into the glass and slid them down one of her inner thighs, slowly licking the three trails back up one by one. He repeated the actions on her other thigh.

"What if...I wanted...to drink...that?" Gabriella asked teasingly.

Troy's tongue disappeared back inside his mouth and he sat up, smirking at her, and handed her the glass with a 'be my guest' kind of look.

Gabriella bit her lip lightly and put the glass up to her lips, taking a slow sip as she watched Troy pull his t-shirt up over his head, tossing it behind him to join hers. He stood and placed his fingers at the button at the top of his shorts and met her eyes, seeing her give him a nod and an 'oh, please do' look. Grinning, he unbuttoned, unzipped, and removed the shorts, grabbing them and their other clothes and tossing them onto one of the big, plush chairs nearby.

"Have enough?" he asked, glancing at the glass and back at her face.

She slowly shook her head "no," smiling. No matter what he was referring to, she couldn't imagine she had had enough.

Troy's stare was heated as he sat down next to her legs and reached for the glass again. He took a sip and let some of the liquid linger in his mouth, leaning forward then and kissing her, his tongue opening her mouth so that they could share the sweet taste together. She heard the clink of the glass being set down on the table again and then felt his hands slide around to her back, unfastening the hooks of her bra. She arched her back to help make further room for him to do so and then she felt the release of pressure from the material, indicating that he had succeeded.

They kissed for another minute and then Troy pulled back, smoothly sliding her bra from her as he sat back up and tossing it onto the chair with their other clothes. She watched as he next wetted two fingers and trailed them over her breast and circled one of her nipples. His mouth, of course, followed and he quite thoroughly removed the sweet drink from her and took his time on her other breast as well.

Gabriella was bottled up fire. Troy's attentions and the very fact that he was playing off her little fantasy stirred much within her. His lips found hers again to leave her breathless before she found his hands back on her hips, sliding the small piece of black lace from her legs. He retrieved once more and took a slow sip of the dark drink, and then dipped all of his fingers into the glass, bringing them above her lower abdomen, such that several drops began to fall there. He obtained further liquid droplets, letting them drop below her belly button, so near to her sex. As he placed the glass down again with his dry hand, she pulled his other hand up to her and sucked the liquid from each of his fingers as she'd done with just one before. Holding her gaze, Troy lowered his head and placed gentle wet kisses along her lower abdomen, tasting the remnants of liquid there and then his eyes lowered as he followed the direction several of the droplets had slid in, the direction he'd wanted them to slide in. She let go of his hand and it moved down to rest comfortably along her hip. Her fingers slid into his hair and her body arched as his tongue slid down into her folds. It languorously caressed her there, tasting, exploring, building her passion.

"Gabriella," he spoke against her, the vibrations causing additional sensation to shoot through her. "Is this what you wanted me to do?"

His sexy voice alone made her senses reel, let alone what he was saying or where he was saying it. "Yes," she said, hearing barely a whisper escape her mouth. "Yes," she said again, voice husky, but more clear and audible.

Troy smiled against her and continued to use his mouth to bring her pleasure, pushing her to her peak and beyond, until her body was racked with delightful spasms. He kissed her thighs and just watched her, her bliss a better sight to him than any he could show on the tour. Sitting up once her breathing had evened out, he retrieved her glass and handed it to her. Then, he reached back for his glass and clinked it against hers, an unspoken toast that took her mind back to the first night they'd met.

_"A toast."_

_"To no more toasts."_

_"To the pleasure of travel."_

_"To travel."_

Gabriella took a sip of what little was left of her drink, wanting to giggle at the memory and wondering if Troy was thinking of it too. Seeing his eyes over the rim of his glass as he took a few slow sips, she imagined he was. Taking another sip of her drink, she carefully brought one foot up and slid it into his lap. She gently rubbed her foot back and forth over Troy's hardening member, seeing the enjoyment on his face. She next placed her glass back down on her table and wasted no time in moving forward and pulling his boxers down.

Troy set his drink down again too so he wouldn't spill it. He let out a groan a moment later as he watched and felt her small hand enclose him and begin to pump up and down his length. And then her mouth took him in and he felt himself harden further. Before she pushed him too far, however, Gabriella retreated and briefly left the room, returning with a grin and a condom, which she unwrapped and seemed to take pleasure in rolling down over his straining cock. Troy shifted so that he was sitting more directly against the back cushions of the sofa and then his hands found her waist as she straddled him. She reached down between her legs and guided him to her slick entrance, rubbing him teasingly against herself before slowly sinking down onto him.

When they were fully joined, she rested her head against his shoulder, steadying her breathing for a moment and just enjoying the feeling. Then, she lifted her head and looked into his intense blue eyes and wrapped her arms more tightly around him. Joined to him in that intimate way, she felt something far beyond what she felt between her legs. She just...felt...and that seemed right.

"It's more, Troy...it's definitely more," she said softly, seeing the feeling in his eyes as he accepted what she was saying. And then she brought her lips to his and kissed him with a sweet honesty that comforted and excited him. As their kiss deepened, Gabriella began to move slowly but steadily, pressed to him, his hands helping to support her further. Their kisses continued, sometimes moving from their lips to other areas but exuding care for each other. They watched each other. They murmured to each other and laughed with each other. They trusted each other.

"You feel very hot," Gabriella whispered, a coy look on her face.

"It's your fault," Troy responded, remembering how they'd started their day.

"No cooling down though?" she asked teasingly.

"No," he answered, voice deep. "And I do want you on your back."

Gabriella's lips curved and she slowed her movements to a stop, carefully raising herself up from him and from the sofa. Troy stood and waited as she laid down across it and then he found his place between her thighs, sinking back into her with ease and hearing her speak his name as he did so. The blood pumped through his veins more fiercely as he heard it, her sheer acquiescence to the way it felt between them. He felt it too and he felt it strongly. He moved within her, holding her to him, feeling the way her body responded to him and the way his responded in return. He kissed her neck and her cheeks, areas that were becoming more and more flushed as the heat built between them. And he kissed her mouth, with broken, breathless kisses as the intensity of their joining overtook them. She gripped his back and repeated his name as he pushed her to the heights she sought and he uttered her name into her mess of dark hair as he lost himself within her. It was more. It was definitely more.


	21. Chapter 21

**Escape to Love Chapter 21**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Days 15 & 16 - Saturday & Sunday

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Gah, these two are so fun to write! :-D Thanks all for the awesome feedback on the last chapter! Few little notes: 1) Because it cracked me up and I have to share...my husband went and got us frozen yogurt from a place near us last week and came back and said that he had gotten me the new pomegranate flavor and he hoped that was okay. I'm pretty sure I snorted...and then pointed out that he should read my chapter. Lol! 2) Yes, these two are kind of "marathoning"...heh...wouldn't you? ;-) 3) Yes, I _am_ leaving some things to your imagination as we go along. :-) 4) Yes, we will learn about Michael and Gabriella's relationship a bit more in upcoming chapters. 5) For a good cause, to help out Japan, visit the link on my profile if you'd like to bid to have me (or another writer) write a fic of your choosing. See info at the link for more details...and though I forgot to specify it there, the winner could choose a deleted scene or continuation of an already existing story if they wanted that more than a new one. Thanks, as always, all...enjoy!

* * *

"So, you don't mind that this tub isn't filled with chocolate? Because I'm sure the fine folks at the Hassler would be happy to arrange for that for us," Troy said in a jovial voice from behind her. Having rested for a while in the sitting room, they were now reclining in the large jacuzzi bathtub in their suite's beautiful marble bathroom. Gabriella was sitting with her back against Troy's chest, her head reclining against his shoulder.

"No, I don't mind. Besides, haven't you tasted enough sweetness on me tonight?" she teased.

Troy bent his head and sucked her earlobe briefly into his mouth, sending a shiver through her. "You know me and dessert," he murmured.

She did. And now, she really did. She turned her head to kiss him for a long minute and she felt him wrap his arms more snugly around her. When her tingling lips separated from his, she looked up into the eyes that were so close to hers and smiled. She was happy...so unexpectedly happy.

"I have told you you're beautiful, right?" Troy asked huskily.

"Even with my wild woman hair?"

"Especially with your wild woman hair."

"Well, thank you," she said, grinning at him before turning back around again. Troy placed a kiss on top of her head and rubbed his hands lightly up and down her arms. "I'm glad you like it because it's going to be hell to run a brush through," she joked.

"I'm sorry," he said, not sounding the least bit sorry. "It was worth it though, wasn't it?"

"Mmmhmm."

They sat in peaceful silence for several minutes. "They really did think of everything, didn't they?" Gabriella remarked, staring up at the ceiling, where dozens of Swarovsky crystals had been embedded into a midnight blue section above them to resemble a night sky filled with stars. They had dimmed the lighting in the room, so it almost did feel like they could be sitting under a canopy of sky.

"That they did," Troy agreed, his arms slipping around her middle.

"And this jacuzzi feels so good. You're making my muscles ache, Bolton."

"Been getting a workout or somethin'?" he shot back, tickling her side briefly and making her laugh.

"Somethin'..."

After several more moments of happy silence, during which the two mentally relived their weekend so far, Troy spoke again. "So, am I figuring things out pretty well so far?" he purred into the delicate skin of her neck, placing light kisses there.

"I'd say so...yes," Gabriella answered in a low voice.

"Good," he said, bringing his hands up to massage her shoulders.

"Mmm...that feels nice."

Troy smiled behind her. "Nicer than my foot massage the other day?"

"That's not a fair question. I refuse to choose one over the other because I want you to continue both."

Troy chuckled. "Fair enough." Hearing her sigh contentedly, he asked another question. "So, what do you normally prefer: a bath or a shower?"

"Normally, a shower I guess, predominantly because it takes less time and also the shower jets can feel very soothing or invigorating or both. But a bath every now and again is a luxury I'm happy to experience too."

"I can't say as I take too many baths myself, but taking one with you is certainly a luxury I'm happy to experience," Troy responded, his fingers alternately plying the back of her neck and soothing the muscles there.

"What? You don't come home and slip into a bubble bath every night to keep your skin baby soft?" Gabriella teased.

"Nooo," he responded in a drawn out low tone and she felt his breath blow across the back of her ear as he did so.

"What is home like?" she asked. "Is your apartment big or small, sparsely or fully furnished, surrounded by a bunch of other apartments or kind of set off on its own?"

"It's on the third floor of an older building and it's one of two apartments on that floor. The building only has the three floors with built-in garages below them. It's average sized, I guess...two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, living room, and a small terrace. It's furnished with the basics. I don't eat off of the floor or anything," he said, earning a laugh from Gabriella. He thought about his place and the mix of feelings he had there. Katherine had definitely taken all physical remnants of herself when she'd left though, in addition to some of his stuff, which could have left his apartment sparse if he hadn't refurnished a little to replace what she'd taken. It was his place to sleep and eat, but it wasn't home. It had never been meant to be his ongoing home.

"Do you have good neighbors?"

"Yeah, they're decent. Married couple lives in the other apartment on my floor and there are a few grad students living in some of the other apartments. Everyone's nice enough."

"That's good. I have pretty good neighbors right now but in my last apartment, I had some really crappy ones...no concept of respect for other tenants. Noisy, not friendly, just crappy."

"That stinks. I'm glad it's better now though."

"Yeah, that was in a larger complex. Now, my place isn't too dissimilar from yours it sounds like. It's in a nice, quiet neighborhood. I live on the third floor too. After the last place, I didn't want to deal with any inconsiderate folks above me."

"Do you know what you want your house to be like someday?"

"Somewhat. I don't want it to be ultra modern. I mean, I want my modern conveniences, of course, but I'd like the house to have some character. Some land would be nice, though perhaps unrealistic...at least a good sized back and front yard.

"For the dog...and the kids," Troy added with good humor.

"Yes. And I want at least one tree. A porch, maybe with a swing. The rockers could come later or with a different house," she said with a short laugh. "A window seat somewhere and built in bookshelves maybe. Or a library-office combo. Hardwood or tile floors somewhere but maybe carpet for upstairs or something."

"So this would be a multi-story home then?"

"Probably...I'm not opposed to a one story if it's otherwise great though. That kind of goes for all of it really. I have these ideas but if...if I were to be sharing this house, I'd, of course, figure it all out with that person and take into account what he wanted.

Troy smiled behind her. "Of course."

"I don't know. Just some place homey and cheerful and relaxing. Not somewhere where you're not sure if you should sit down."

"That's always nice."

"And photos...lots of photos...of loved ones and great places..." Gabriella blushed slightly. The mention of photos was certainly not an uncommon notion. But given the photographer at her back...and the possibilities of him taking those photos... "Well, anyway, I'm just babbling on and on here."

Gabriella thought about whether or not she should really be talking about a house and kids and a dog and rocking chairs so early on in a relationship, but then, she reasoned, this wasn't your average relationship. He might as well know things like this up front because they would have to decide soon enough if they had enough of the same dreams to want to figure out if there was a future for them. But soon enough would come too soon. She took a deep breath, stared up at their beautiful fake sky, and pushed aside that unpleasant thought.

"I like your babbling," Troy said, reassuring her further that they were perhaps on the same page. Troy thought about Gabriella's description. He suspected she would have liked the house in Montalcino. He suspected he wouldn't mind building her some bookshelves, helping her fill her walls with photos, or chasing a dog and some kids around a yard with her. He gently ceased his massage and brought his hands back down, sliding them around her small middle once more.

Gabriella leaned back into him again, finding comfort in just being in his arms. "Is this weekend going the way you had hoped?" she asked softly.

She felt Troy's breath on her ear again as he answered her in a husky tone. "That, Montez, is a silly question."

Gabriella smiled. "I'm silly sometimes."

Troy rested his chin on her shoulder and held her a little tighter for several moments. "It's going even better than I had hoped. It's..." He paused for a moment, pulling his thoughts together. "I wanted you, Gabriella, upon first seeing you. Not because you were just another girl...but because you weren't. I mean, you were different, and I knew it even before you slammed the door in my face," he said with a chuckle.

Gabriella tensed briefly at his recollection of the events of their first day, but then relaxed once more. She didn't like that there were these other girls that had commanded his attention, but she acknowledged that she was willing to trust that he was done with that and that he was interested in just falling in love with her.

"And every day, even as you frustrated the hell out of me at first, albeit with a good purpose, I just, well, wanted you more. And I was quite pleased to figure out you wanted me too," he said, burying his smirk in a light kiss to her neck.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Gabriella joked with a laugh.

"You're sitting naked in my arms. Don't you think it's a little late to still be playing hard to get, Montez?"

"Mmm...you have a point. Do continue."

"Well, as you know, my wanting changed, became more. And I guess what I was trying to say is that being here with you, I wanted to exceed your expectations, but the fact is...this, us...it's exceeded mine."

Gabriella squeezed his hands in hers beneath the water.

"I don't just mean the physical," Troy added.

"I know." And she did know. She felt it too.

"Though, I'd say we are, um, pretty compatible in that arena."

Gabriella's heart beat a little faster at the thought. "Yes, I'd say we are. And you have exceeded my expectations...it has all exceeded my expectations," she agreed, moving one hand to gently stroke his outer thigh.

They sat silent and contemplative for a few minutes. "I guess we should probably finish up here before we turn into prunes, huh?" Gabriella joked softly. She closed her eyes as Troy's lips pressed to her neck.

"Maybe not just yet," he said in a low tone, starting to suckle her neck further.

His free hand moved up and caressed her breast and her chest began to rise and fall more steadily at what his touch aroused in her. And then that touch moved lower. "Troy," she lightly protested, mainly because she wasn't exactly at a point where she felt that having condom-less sex with him was a good idea. She still had some caution left in her swiftly mushing brain.

"Don't worry," he said, understanding her unspoken concern. "This is just about you."

His words made her tingle all over. And his hand sparked more than just tingles in her as it slid over her sex. He was gentle, kissing her all the while and still holding the hand that she gripped him more tightly with now. The care with which he caressed her sent her over the edge more so than anything. She shook against him with her pleasure and he still kissed her and held her through it. Gabriella lay back against him, her eyes closed, her breath shaky and her limbs feeling useless for the moment...and she silently wished for the weekend to never end.

* * *

Breathing in deeply, she slowly opened her eyes. The lovely red and cream shades filled her vision, and that, along with the strong arm slung over her middle assured her that she was still right where she wanted to be.

It was Sunday. They would rejoin the group this morning. Gabriella felt a tinge of sadness and apprehension at the thought. This weekend had been perfection and they had been able to solely focus on each other. She wondered what their "us" would be like once back with the rest of the group.

The alarm sounded next to her head and she stretched, partly against the resistance of a certain someone's arm, to reach out and turn it off. 'Our time is not up yet, thank you very much,' she thought.

As she relaxed back into him, she felt Troy pull her a bit closer. "Mmm, it can't be morning yet," she heard and felt him mumble into her hair.

It wasn't that Troy wasn't a morning person, though he generally wasn't. It was that he had mixed feelings about rejoining the tour group today and leaving Rome. On the one hand, he looked forward to showing her more of this country he loved but on the other hand, he didn't want anything to mess with this bubble of happiness they were currently floating in. 'But,' he thought with an inward sigh, 'to move forward, I guess we must move forward.'

"I think you're right. I think it must still be midnight. The alarm is obviously malfunctioning," she teased softly.

"Obviously," he replied, kissing the top of her head.

They lay there in silence for several more minutes, neither in a hurry to move. Then, Troy slid his hand from her stomach and brought it up to sweep her hair back toward him, baring her neck and shoulder to him so that he could place several soft, wet kisses there. Gabriella's lips curved on a sigh. His hand slid back down her arm and over the curve of her hip and, after a moment, she turned her body slowly to face him.

Those dark eyes of hers...beautiful, deep brown pools...held his as he reached a hand up to touch her hair and then let his fingers slide down over her bare back. They hadn't bothered wearing anything to bed again last night, just preferring the feel of each other's skin to that of clothing.

"I'm not going to forget this weekend...one way or another," she said softly.

"Neither am I," he returned, finding her lips with his own and further expressing his sincerity.

They made love slowly, relishing this sweet time they had and thrilling once more at how well they fit together physically. Most couples have a learning curve with each other, but theirs certainly seemed to be accelerated. They just felt a sureness and connection that enhanced the experience from the start. They knew how to give and receive pleasure, knew how to work together for it, and knew it was theirs to have. They knew they had here and now and that they should make the most of it, because they didn't know what the future held.

* * *

Later, at breakfast downstairs in the hotel's Palm Court Restaurant, a charming garden restaurant surrounded by ancient stone walls, flowers, and ivy, Troy and Gabriella enjoyed a quiet breakfast of cappuccinos and cornetti. Swallowing another bite of the delicious crescent-shaped pastries, Gabriella took a sip from her delicate cup and then smiled across the table at Troy.

"So, do you think they'll know we've been gone?" she asked.

"Quite possibly. Me, at least. Alberto said he did answer some questions and help some folks in my absence."

"Ah."

"Do you mind if they've noticed our shared absence?" Troy asked, curious to hear her answer.

"No, not really, other than that this is just ours and I'd like to keep it special like that."

Troy nodded. "I would too. It may not be a secret that we were away together but they don't have to know any details. That can be for us alone."

"Good."

"We may still kind of be everyone's business though once they see us together now. I mean...we aren't trying to hide anything, right?"

"No."

"So, if I want to kiss you whenever, I just can?"

Gabriella's lips curved higher. "Yes."

"Good. And if I want to turn you into a thirteen year old girl by holding your hand?"

"Go right ahead."

"You're very agreeable right now. I should have whisked you off to a hotel two weeks ago," Troy joked.

"Two weeks ago, I would have left you lying on the ground clutching yourself in pain," she said, raising one eyebrow at him humorously.

Troy laughed. "No doubt. Well, I'm glad that wasn't your reaction this weekend."

Her smile was peaceful as she looked back at him. "Thank you for this weekend," she said sincerely.

Troy nodded. "Thank you."

They conversed happily for several more minutes, finishing up their breakfast before heading back inside to gather up their stuff and check out of the hotel. They had a taxi drop them back off at their former hotel, where they located the bus and loaded their items into its storage area before parking it in front of the hotel and meeting up with their group again, helping to get their items loaded up too.

Having done so, Gabriella made her way onto the bus with Jennifer and John. They passed Johanna and Ivan, who were sitting toward the middle of the bus. Reaching the back of the bus, Jennifer and Gabriella sat down on the back seat and John sat one seat up. He opened up his book a while and did his best not to hear what the two young women had to say.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Gabriella asked lightly, teasing her friend.

Jennifer lowered her head and narrowed her eyes at her. "Don't make me smack you."

This made Gabriella laugh and when she stopped laughing, she started talking. "I loved the dress, purse, and shoes. Thanks for helping with those!"

"Oh, girl, that was fun! I'm glad you liked them. Did you have a good time?"

Gabriella felt the pink rise onto her face as she just smiled at her friend and nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh, that's awesome!" Jennifer exclaimed. "So, no complaints?" she asked, raising her eyebrows meaningfully.

"Nooo!" Gabriella answered emphatically, making Jennifer laugh.

"That good, huh?"

Gabriella gave her a sly smile. "Better."

They were interrupted by the sound of Troy addressing the group from the front. "Good morning, everyone. I hope your stay in Rome was all you wanted it to be." His eyes found Gabriella's briefly as he said this. "We'll be moving on to Naples now, which will be about a three hour drive, so settle in, catch up on some rest if you need it, and we'll be tasting the best pizza in the world soon enough," he finished with a grin, setting the mike back in its holder and saying a few words to Alberto before making his way toward the back of the bus. He was stopped a few times and said his hellos to several folks and answered a few questions but soon enough, he was standing in front of the long back seat of the bus, offering his smile to Gabriella and Jennifer.

"Hey, stud," Jennifer greeted in a low, sly voice.

Troy was thrown off by that greeting and felt himself pursing his lips as he glanced at Gabriella and then back at her friend. "Um, hey, Jen."

"Don't worry. She hasn't told me anything much. I'm inferring."

Troy just nodded in response and Jennifer laughed at the fact that he seemed to be at a loss for words for once.

"Jen..." Gabriella admonished.

"Oh, Gabriella, vicariously, remember? Anyway, Troy, have a seat. I'm just going to move up a row here and join dad."

"Well, thank you, but please don't feel like you're being kicked out of your seat," Troy replied.

Jennifer shook her head at him, stood up and slid past him so that he could take her place next to Gabriella. Troy smiled and did so happily.

"Oh, Troy," she said with humor, "if I didn't want to be kicked out of my seat, I'd still be sitting there."

Troy and Gabriella both gave her grateful smiles.

"Now, settle in and catch up on some rest," she said, lightly mocking him for his recent words to the group. "For some reason, you two look like you need it," she finished with a wink before plopping down next to her dad.

Gabriella turned her head into Troy's shoulder, trying to contain the giggles she felt bubbling up within her. Troy slid his arm around her and chuckled into her hair. Eventually, Gabriella sat back up and turned her body so that her back was against the wall of the bus and Troy turned his hips in her direction so he could better see her and then pulled her legs across his lap.

"So, what was your favorite thing in Rome?" he asked, sparking their conversation.

"You're really asking me that?" she said, disbelievingly.

Troy's lips curved upward. "Your favorite thing you can write about."

"Who says I can't write about my true favorite thing?"

"Your editor might be scandalized."

"Ha! She'd love it."

"My family will inevitably be reading your article when it comes out."

"And you don't think they'd be proud?" she teased.

"I think...that if you cover that in your article, my photo series on your hair needs to be included."

"I might be able to live with that."

Troy shook his head at her. "Okay then...your hair looked particularly stellar while you were sleeping..."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "You didn't..."

Troy shrugged playfully. "You don't know that I didn't..."

"I'll find out. I have my ways."

Troy licked his lips. "That you definitely do...now, answer the question about Rome, Montez."

"Fine. My second favorite thing about Rome was, well, I liked so much. The Pieta hit me even more than David did and the Sistine Chapel was beautiful. And the Trevi Fountain was awesome. And Trastevere was just Italy embodied...but I guess they all just tie into my first favorite thing about Rome anyway."

Troy grinned at her, understanding that she meant not only that their weekend was her favorite thing but that he and the way their relationship had changed had been her favorite thing. He leaned forward and she met him halfway for a sweet kiss.

"I have mentioned you have a talent for that, haven't I?" Troy said with a smile, as they pulled back.

Gabriella shook her head at him and rolled her eyes but she was inwardly pleased. "I haven't always."

"I doubt that. The first guy who got to kiss you is probably still reeling."

Gabriella laughed. "Um, nope."

"Why do you say that?"

She thought back on the memory, a faint smile on her lips. "My first kiss was with Shar's brother, Ryan."

It took Troy a moment but then he responded. "The Ryan who hiked Cinqueterre with his partner, Jeff?"

"Yep. We were twelve. He was trying to figure things out. We dated innocently for a few months. He didn't really come out until high school."

"That must have been tough."

"It wasn't easy, but Ryan has a quiet strength about him. He and Jeff are really happy now."

"That's great."

"It is."

"Well, I still view it as a compliment to you."

"Oh, you do, do you?"

"Yes. Because he likely realized early on that if he couldn't fully get into kissing you, no one else of the opposite sex was likely to appeal either."

"That's sweet, but I'm not sure twelve was my best year, what with the braces, the bad perm, and my completely flat chest."

"Sounds hot," Troy joked, and she slapped him playfully on the arm.

"What about you? When was your first kiss?"

"I was eleven. I had this treehouse in the backyard and I took Amanda Tucker up there on the premise of studying for our upcoming math exam."

"I take it no studying was done."

"Oh no. We studied. It took me the whole hour and a half to get up the courage to kiss her."

"And?"

"And we both did fine on the exam," Troy answered mischievously.

"Glad to hear it," Gabriella responded dryly.

"And...it was a first kiss. Clumsy and fascinating and perfect in its own right."

She smiled at his summary. "And does this Amanda still pine for you?"

"Doubtful. I photographed her wedding."

"Oh!"

"Yeah, we dated innocently too and then decided to be just friends. She and her husband were a lot of fun to photograph because it was so evident how very real their love was."

"That's awesome," Gabriella responded, a yawn taking over her.

"Or boring maybe?" Troy teased, fighting a yawn himself.

"You know that's not it. I'm just a bit tired still."

"Me too," Troy acknowledged.

"Well, maybe we should follow your advice and rest some."

"Probably."

Having agreed, they rearranged themselves such that Troy was leaning back into one corner with one leg up on the seat and Gabriella was lying back against him, his arms loosely wrapped around her. The motion of the bus soon lulled them to sleep and they woke some time later, hearing the excitement of others on their bus as they appeared to be entering Naples. Troy kissed Gabriella lightly on the head and then she moved so that he could head back up to the front of the bus to say a few words to the group.

He pointed out the Bay of Naples and Alberto parked the bus so they could all get out and stretch their legs and make the short walk over to Castel dell'Ovo. The roof of the castle had a commanding view of Mount Vesuvius, the bay of Naples, and the city of Naples itself, making it a lovely first stop. Their next stop was to the National Archaelogical Museum, where they viewed mosaics, frescoes, and statuary from Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as examples of Greek and Roman sculpture.

Having appreciated the history contained within the museum, the group also greatly appreciated their next stop at Da Michele in the Spaccanapoli neighborhood of Naples. Here, they waited in line with the rest of the hungry visitors to the pizzeria and found the wait to be completely worth it as they devoured the two types of pizza the no frills establishment offered, pizza margherita and pizza marinara.

"Oh, God, this is...oh, there aren't words," Gabriella remarked happily, closing her eyes in delight as she took another bite of the hot, cheesy goodness.

Troy laughed. "Eat up. I'm sure there's at least one extra jean size in it for you."

Gabriella remembered what she had said to him back in Viareggio. "I never had any doubts. Would you mind terribly?"

"Nah...more of you to explore," he answered with a wink.

"Way to be glass half full there, Bolton."

"I try."

After eating as much delicious pizza as they could possibly handle, the group walked around Spaccanapoli for a little while, just taking in the crowded, colorful alleys full of shops, plastic rosaries, seafood, and famous artisan workshops specializing in the city's famous nativity scenes. The area was stimulating, to say the least, with its bustling nature, a variety of churches, palaces and statues, and also walking street vendors and performers.

Once everyone had made their way back to the bus, the group traveled the short journey south to Pompeii. There, Troy was able to just walk around with Gabriella and take it all in with her since Pompeii provided its own tour guides. The group walked the ancient cobblestone streets, eerily observing the imposing shadowed outline of Mt. Vesuvius in the background. They passed many of the well-preserved buildings and structures of the excavated city, including courtyards and houses and the town's forum. Their guide pointed out a fountain that had two worn in hand imprints on either side of its spout, showing how often it was used by Pompeiians who placed their hands in those two spots while leaning to take a drink. There were raised stones crossing the streets at various points for the inhabitants to use to avoid stepping into large puddles of water when it rained, a rather ingenious idea. Details like this were fascinating to Gabriella.

Troy and Gabriella watched a friendly stray dog start to run alongside their group and smiled at him but also soberly remembered seeing the cast of a dog archaeologists believed was chained outside one of the houses in Pompeii during the catastrophic eruption in 79 AD while visiting the museum in Naples earlier that day. Seeing more of the preserved casts here in this ancient city was also sobering. They both felt particularly touched by one of a mother-to-be lying face down, in a natural pose for trying to protect her unborn child. It was impossible not to feel for these people who had been going about their daily routine, who had no idea that they would all soon be frozen forever just as they were at that point in their lives.

Still, despite those sad thoughts, it was amazing how much of the city had been rediscovered since the initial accidental findings in 1599. Mosaic doors still had their luster and murals could still be clearly viewed for all of their expression and beauty. Of course, as they learned, some artwork had been discovered and then, many suspected, reburied until it was later discovered once more because it was considered too erotic and sexually explicit. In the House of the Vetti, two wealthy brothers, there were wall murals and statues depicting Priapus, the ancient god of sex and fertility, with an extremely enlarged penis.

"And all of the men suddenly feel just a bit smaller," Jennifer whispered in Gabriella's ear jokingly before moving forward to observe the controversial art with her sister.

In addition to the depictions of Priapus, there were a number of images on the walls of the house's "erotic room" showing persons engaged in various sexual acts. Their guide pointed out that in brothels, similar images may have been painted to indicate different services offered at the establishments or may have just been painted to stimulate visitors. Various inscriptions supported this notion, such as one that roughly said "If anyone is looking for some tender love in this town, keep in mind that here all the girls are very friendly." Of course, their guide also pointed out, the "tender love" was not one-sided. Other brothel inscriptions detailed how certain male house slaves were willing to serve women, even virgins.

Gabriella tried to remain intellectual in her observation of the various depictions, but she felt it was a battle she was somewhat losing.

"Well, we've got that one down," Troy whispered into her ear, indicating a woman on top painting.

"Um...yes," she whispered back, trying to keep a straight face.

"Hmm...how flexible are you, Montez?" Troy asked, tilting his head in the direction of another painting.

Gabriella considered the painting. "Find out," she whispered back challengingly.

"Gladly. And what do you think of that one?"

"I think...I'm ready for us to check into our hotel."

Troy laughed quietly, not wanting to draw attention from the others. He slid his arm around her waist, his hand resting a bit lower and he couldn't resist tapping her lightly and playfully on the upper part of her buttocks. "You're still blushing," he said in a low tone as they exited the house.

"So are you," she shot back, surprised to see some color in his cheeks too.

"Well, aren't we just the innocents?" Troy joked.

"_That_ is doubtful," Jennifer teased, coming up beside them and chatting happily about their experiences at Pompeii and about getting to enjoy the Amalfi Coast next. Troy and Gabriella talked and laughed with her as they made their way through the rest of the tour, enjoying the comfort of being themselves with a supportive friend.

* * *

Following Pompeii, Alberto drove them along the narrow, winding, cliffside road along Italy's beautiful Amalfi Coast. Everyone enjoyed the breathtaking views and as they arrived at the Hotel San Pietro in Positano, they were all excited to get an open air view of it all. As they stood inside the lobby letting others from their tour group get checked in before them, Gabriella looked around the beautiful decor of the space and then commented to Troy, "I wonder if we have rooms next to each other again."

"We do," Troy answered with a smile, forgetting that he wasn't supposed to know that.

Gabriella eyed him suspiciously. "And you know this because...?"

"Ehrm, I checked."

"Really? When?"

"This morning while you were in the shower." It wasn't a lie. He had double-checked.

"It's funny how we've been next to each other so often, isn't it?" she remarked slyly, seeing the guilty look on his face.

Troy took a breath, watching more and more of their group disappear in the direction of their rooms. "I may have made some requests..."

"Ah."

"But by the time I did, you didn't seem to mind my being close."

Gabriella laughed. "I'm not mad, Troy. I was just curious as to whether it was fate or you."

"Call it both then. I had nothing to do with Florence...and I had no guarantees that I'd get my way at the different hotels."

"Fair enough."

"Besides, I'm not sure how much adjoining rooms matter now...how much having two rooms matters now..." He let the thought hang in the air.

"Well, it could be good to have a space of our own if we wanted it."

"True."

"Or think of it as two rooms to...enjoy."

"Mmm...I like the way your mind works, Montez."

She grinned. "That's not all you like. Now, come on, let's get checked in and see if fate and the front desk have appeased us."

"After you," Troy said, watching her walk to the front desk and following with a happy grin on his face.

* * *

"Okay, this balcony view is to die for," Gabriella said, taking in a breath of the fresh sea air and turning to smile at Troy. Their rooms were next to each other but there was a privacy wall between their balconies, so there would be no balcony travel for the two of them. This didn't really bother them in the least given that Troy had dropped off his stuff in his room and then come next door to hers using another convenient option, a door between the rooms, which they would decidedly keep unlocked.

He plopped down in one of the balcony chairs and stared out at the water and then up at her. "I'd have to agree," he said, eyes sparkling and looking as blue as the waters below them.

Gabriella approached him and he pulled her down into his lap. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her lips met his for an extended kiss. "Do you want to go down to the beach for a little?" he asked when they'd pulled back.

"Do you have your heart set on it?"

"No."

"So, we could go check it out tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"That might be a better plan then."

"And why's that?"

"Because I have something else in mind for right now."

"Oh, you do, do you?"

"Mmmhmm," Gabriella replied, standing from his lap slowly and turning to go back inside the room.

Troy stood, following her and finding her lounging on the bed, staring back at him as he approached her. "So, you wanted some more rest then?"

"Not to start with."

"A rousing game of truth or truth then?"

"I was thinking more dare or dare."

"I see. So, dare me," he challenged in a sexy tone, standing next to the bed, his eyes sweeping down over her.

"I dare you...to find out how flexible I am."

Troy climbed onto the bed next to her, gently pushing her back down onto it. Perched above her, he held her gaze for a moment. "You should know...I never back down from a dare."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said, pulling him the rest of the way down to her, their mouths joining with a fervor that saw no signs of stopping anytime soon.

* * *

"Didn't know if we'd see you two for dinner. Did you go...exploring?" Jennifer teased, an hour or so later.

"Um, yes," Gabriella answered a bit uncomfortably.

"Then, I guess you both worked up an appetite, huh?"

"Definitely," Troy responded with a grin, not as thrown off as he had been earlier in the day by Jen's sly remarks. They were now sitting at a table with the rest of Jen's family and Ivan, which could have been particularly strange except that Ivan's attention now seemed primarily focused on Johanna. Troy and Gabriella were both happy to see that. It didn't, however, stop Ivan and John from saying a few words to Troy when all three women left the table for a restroom trip.

"She's a rare gem, that one," John remarked.

"She is," Troy agreed, his eyes following the retreating shape of her body and seeing her smiles as she chatted with the two sisters.

"She's not like the others," Ivan put in, eyes darting around to light on a few of the girls whose attentions Troy had returned earlier on in the trip.

"No, she's not."

"Remember that," Ivan said, his tone one of warning. "She deserves more than just a heated fling."

"I know that. It is more, man."

Ivan nodded. "Good."

"She's the kind you keep," John added. "And the kind you're happily kept by...and that's the best thing in the world if you can find it," he said, thinking longingly of his late wife.

Troy nodded, thinking about John's words. He saw that about Gabriella the same way he had been allowing himself to see once more that that was still what he wanted in life. When she returned to the table minutes later, he slipped his hand into hers beneath it, earning a sweet smile in return. Throughout dinner, they enjoyed the company of their friends and the beauty of the sun setting over the water. After eating, they all continued to converse and listen to the live music the house band was providing. When a slower song began, Troy looked at Gabriella and inclined his head toward the open terrace area between the tables and the band. She looked pleasantly surprised but nodded and stood with him, letting him lead her to a spot and slide his arms around her. She held to him as well, enjoying the closeness. She suspected there were glares being directed her way but didn't care. He was looking into _her_ eyes with mesmerizing sincerity in his and his hands rested familiarly at the small of _her_ back. Under the most beautiful sky, feeling the most caressing of ocean breezes, and hearing the most harmonious music around them, they were falling in love...and becoming an "us" for all the world to see.

* * *

Outside their side by side room doors some time later, they stood a bit uncertainly.

"I should catch up on my writing so I don't forget my initial impressions of what we've been seeing," Gabriella said, tilting her head, leaning against her door and looking up at Troy apologetically.

Troy nodded with a small smile. He understood. Though he wanted to just monopolize her time, he knew she did have her writing responsibility too and also just that personal space wasn't a bad thing. But it did nag at the back of his mind that after the next two weeks, they'd have a vast amount of space between them.

"Be kind if you write about me," he said, attempting levity.

"I will," she said, returning his smile.

Gabriella didn't want to leave him either but she did need some time to herself. And it scared her how much she wanted to just forfeit that time and just go lie in Troy's arms. She needed to process all of these feelings she was having.

Troy leaned forward and gave her a slow, tantalizing goodnight kiss. He pulled away reluctantly and held her gaze for a long moment before entering his room.

Gabriella turned slowly and entered her own. Once inside, she changed into her pajamas and then set up her laptop and began to catch up on and respond to emails. This left her smiling as she shared with the girls about she and Troy and their weekend. As promised, she did leave out any mention of his celebrity clientele. Following email, she set about typing up her article notes, trying to focus her attention on each detail that had meaning for her.

Having recorded the basics, she sat back and thought for several moments about what was happening in her life right now. Against all of her prior intentions, she was falling for the man next door...falling hard. She hadn't stated that outright in her email to her friends, but they'd likely be able to make that conclusion themselves. She remembered the last time she'd told them of her feelings for a man, for Michael. She tried to look back on her memories objectively.

She and Michael had definitely had an instant chemistry. They were able to converse fairly easily, but, as Gabriella had noted in retrospect, Michael had mostly always turned the conversation to speaking about her. It had made her feel special and she'd felt he was really interested in her life and thoughts, but she hadn't realized it was just part of his skill in deflecting attention from himself. It seemed to her that she knew more about Troy after two weeks than she had known about Michael in the ten months they had dated.

So, about that, she felt good. About what she knew of Troy, she felt good. About the connection that seemed to be developing between them, she felt good. About the day she'd board a plane once more, she did not feel good.

So, should she try to pull back and protect herself as best she could from that day? The thought hurt her possibly even more than that of the impending day, the thought of hurting him by doing so and the thought of not having the joy she'd come to know in spending her days with him.

No, Gabriella was resolved. She'd see this through. She had to, even if it left her broken when all was said and done. Because if it didn't... Well, she would try to take this day by day. There was still time...not a lot, but enough to be able to put off her concerns just a little while longer.

Gabriella's eyes ran along the wall until they found the door connecting their rooms. And the thought crossed her mind that if they had such a limited time to fall in love, to figure this out, to enjoy each other, then why would she want to spend the night away from him? Because it sounded sensible to do so? But she was already admittedly throwing sensibility out the window in exploring this relationship. She should be all in if she was going to be.

Grinning, she considered an idea for a moment, checking the time and noting that it was getting late but wasn't so late that she thought he'd be asleep. She locked up her laptop and rummaged in her carry on bag briefly, finding the small item she was looking for. Then, she walked up to the connecting door and paused for a moment before knocking lightly.

"You don't have to knock," Troy said with a grin, opening the door a few moments later.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said, grinning back at him. "So, I was wondering, do you play poker?"

Troy eyed the pack of cards she was holding up in her right hand. "I win poker," he said cockily, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"We'll see," she said confidently, sliding past him and entering his room.

Troy chuckled, following her toward the bed where she climbed up, sat cross-legged, and removed the cards from the box, beginning to shuffle them.

"What are the stakes?" he asked, sitting down on the bed opposite her.

"We're wearing them."

Troy licked his lips and cut the deck of cards when she put it in front of him, watching her start to deal them next. This night was turning out so much better than he'd expected. Now, to win...though he couldn't imagine either of them would actually end up losing at the end of the night...


	22. Chapter 22

**Escape to Love Chapter 22**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Day 17 - Monday

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I know, I know...more time between updates. Life is just nuts. So, I'm opting to not be good about reply reviews but to rather get this chapter up with the time I have to do so. :-) I trust that will be okay with y'all. ;-) But, as always, your reviews warm my heart, inspire me, make me laugh...and all that jazz. So, thank you very much!

* * *

Her hair was tickling his chest, just lightly, pleasantly. He had forgotten how wonderful it felt just to share a bed all night with someone whose face you wanted to see first thing in the morning...the promise of a new day together.

Of course he had forgotten. Katherine had allowed him these quiet moments of connection infrequently and predominantly in the earlier days of their relationship. And after Katherine, he had refused to share that with anyone else, not that he had had a strong desire to share it with anyone before Gabriella.

She molded so well to him. She smelled so good, her hair in particular. He liked the feel of her steady breathing and the way her legs entwined with his periodically throughout the night. His arm was wrapped around her and it occurred to him that he had no desire to let go.

When she'd knocked on the door last night, he'd been trying to distract himself a while longer before he knew he'd ultimately succumb to sleep. He had already seen to the next day's itineraries, had sent some emails (his parents were apparently pretty excited to meet his girlfriend in a couple weeks), had fiddled around on Facebook, and had played a few rounds of Angry Birds...stupid, addictive game. But he had kept wondering if she was still writing, if she had decided to go to sleep already, or if, by some luck, she might decide to come spend some more time with him. So, when he'd heard the knock, he'd been up off the bed and opening the door within moments.

'Eager much, Bolton?' he'd thought, quickly squashing any concern for his reaction time when he'd seen that beautiful smile of hers. And the poker...well, to say that he'd had several winning hands would be right in more than one way. But, besides that, they'd just had fun, challenging each other and being competitive, teasing each other and being playful. It felt like they'd found a rare find in each other, this easy way they could talk and laugh and be real and fall into smoldering one minute and silly the next. It was...wonderful.

As Gabriella began to stir beneath his arm, he opened his eyes and just watched her body come alive somewhat. After a few long moments, she turned her head to look back and see that he was awake as well. A soft smile on her lips, she turned and then buried her head into his chest, sliding her own arm around his waist. They lay there for five, ten, maybe fifteen minutes, holding each other and drifting in and out of sleep a bit. Eventually, the alarm went off and Troy reached over Gabriella to turn it off and then returned to holding her again.

Neither wanted to be the first to speak and to announce that they should start to get ready for the day, though they were both aware of the minutes ticking by. Finally, Troy gave in, his sense of responsibility nagging at him. "We should probably get up," he said softly.

She heard his voice above her head and wanted to ignore it but knew he was right. Still, she couldn't resist a half-hearted protest. Lifting her head, she looked down over the beautiful lines of his face. "But will I like Capri as much as I like it right here?"

The look she was giving him was adorable, beyond adorable. He was tempted to tell folks they'd both come down with food poisoning and wouldn't be leaving their rooms. He shook his head at her with a smile. "I'm not sure how to answer that. I hope not? But, on the other hand, I'll be there, so I hope so?" he answered, one eyebrow raised at her half-questioningly.

"Mmm...that is a point. Well, if you insist..."

Troy eyed her with further humor. "Signorina Montez, you do want to get your money's worth from this tour, do you not? Or, rather, your friends' money's worth?"

She leaned down and brushed her lips teasingly against his for a few seconds before rising up again. "I rather thought I was," she replied with a grin.

"I can see it now. Your article details Florence to Rome and then starts detailing curtains, ceilings, bedspreads..."

"Don't forget sofas and bathtubs."

"I couldn't forget."

She smiled and brought her face down to his again, actually kissing him this time for nearly a minute.

"Nope, you've only convinced me to stay put," she said, pulling back and looking into his eyes once more.

"Do you want me to get fired?"

"Um, your parents are not going to fire you and if they do, it's a job you got roped into anyway, remember."

"Well, you're more than happy to answer to them when they want to know what made me turn from tour guide extraordinaire into disappearing tour guide."

Gabriella looked thoughtful for a moment and then sat up, still looking down at Troy with a touch of uncertainty on her face.

"What is it?" he asked, running a fingertip gently down her cheek and holding her gaze.

"Will they like me?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, definitely."

"Are you sure? I mean...after Katherine, will they like any woman?"

"No, they won't like any woman...they'll like you. You're not just any woman."

Gabriella smiled sweetly back at him. "Will you tell me more about them?"

Troy returned her smile. "Yes, of course. But right now, unless you really do want to mess with my mom's baby...meaning the tour, not me...we should get up. I absolutely promise to make sure we are back here like this later though."

Gabriella giggled. "Well...if you pinkie promise..."

"Seriously?" Troy said, raising up on one elbow and cocking a brow at her. "Have I made a terrible error in judgement and gone to bed with a ten-year-old?"

"Ewww," she said, scrunching up her face at him and pinching the side of his torso playfully. And then, faster than she could blink twice, she was on her back again on the bed and he was above her.

"What am I going to do with you?" he said huskily, seeming as though he really was wondering on various levels. "Pinkie," he commanded, holding his hand up above hers.

Grinning, she lifted her hand and offered her little finger to him.

He linked it with his and stared down at her, his lips curved, his expression devilish. "I...pinkie promise," he continued, not being able to resist rolling his eyes playfully, "that I will absolutely spend every possible moment I can with you in my bed...or yours...or anywhere, really, doing anything, because you, Montez, are someone I can't seem to get enough of."

She bit her lip slightly, smiling up at him. "Kiss on it?"

"You're such a demanding little thing," he muttered happily, leaning down and kissing those lips he'd become addicted to for several long moments, before pulling himself away and rising from the bed, forcing himself to move toward the bathroom.

Gabriella lay there for several more moments, just holding on to the delicious feelings that were swirling through her.

"Gabriella..." he called from within the bathroom.

"Okay, okay," she called back with a sigh, finally rising from the bed and heading back through the adjoining door into her room and proceeding to get ready for the day.

Exiting the bathroom several minutes later, Troy noticed that she hadn't bothered to pick up any of her clothes from last night, which he happily took as her promise that she'd be back there with him later. Grinning, he continued about the business of getting ready.

* * *

After a quick breakfast, they boarded a boat with the rest of the group and set off on their way to the island of Capri. Arriving at Marina Grande, they all transferred onto motorboats taking them 'round the island to the area of the famed Blue Grotto. Then, they transferred in small numbers into small, wooden rowboats manned by oarsmen specializing in ferrying travelers into the cave. Gabriella and Troy shared a rowboat with such an oarsman, who spoke jovially to them as they waited in the line of rowboats for their turn to pay the entry fee to men on a boat just outside the entrance and then to enter the cave. Anticipation built until they were finally at the entrance and were told to lie on their backs in the bottom of the rowboat so that they could clear the entranceway, which was a small, low opening. They grinned at one another, as they lay down next to each other and watched the rock enclose them. Once inside, they sat up again and looked around the roomy grotto, seeing the brilliant blue seeming to glow from the water surrounding them. They dipped their hands in the water and they too seemed to glow blue. The oarsman explained that it was sunlight passed through an underwater cavity that created the blue reflection that illuminated the cavern, but that it was only possible to see this other opening from beneath the surface of the water. Then, he proceeded to sing to them and Troy smiled at Gabriella, placing his arms around her and resting his head in the crook of her shoulder as they were serenaded. They snapped a few photos and laid back down again as they were ferried back out through the opening, thankful for the amazing choreography of all the tourist boats that the people of Capri seemed to have down flat.

Once all of their group had made their way back from the rowboats to the motorboat and then back to Marina Grande, they took the funicular up to Capri town and explored and took in the views there. They visited Villa San Michele and the Arco Naturale, the beautiful natural, limestone arch on the East coast of the island, and then they checked out Via Krupp, only being able to look down on the historic switchback paved footpath down to Marina Piccola since it was closed due to the danger of falling rocks. Troy explained that the German industrialist, Friedrich Alfred Krupp, who had commissioned the path in the early twentieth century, used it to travel from his luxury hotel to the water below, where his marine biology research vessel lay at anchor. He also, however, secretly used it to convey him to Grotta di Fra Felice, a grotto where orgies with local youths supposedly took place. When that scandal surfaced, Krupp was asked to leave Italy.

"You're just full of fun stories, aren't you?" she teased Troy when the rest of the group started to retreat.

"Yeah. And consider that I heard these stories coming from my parents' mouths."

"You guys must be able to have interesting dinner conversations."

"Eh, they can be. Other times, they're the normal, dull kind," Troy joked, sending her a wink as he started to turn in the direction of the group.

Gabriella took one more look down over the path. It was really beautifully constructed, covering an elevation of about 100 meters and descending down to the jagged white rocks and cerulean waters below. Krupp's idea had been a good one, regardless of how he'd decided to use it. Turning away, she found herself back in step with Troy, as the group continued back through town, disbanding for lunch.

After enjoying the local fare together and each other's company throughout lunch, as they sat there eating their last few bites, Troy noticed that Gabriella was looking off toward another table with disdain. He looked to see what had caught her attention. He saw a man who appeared to be heavily flirting with his waitress and then a minute after she'd left the table, he saw another woman slide into the seat across from the man, his wife if the ring on her finger was any indication. The man smiled at her as though he'd actually missed her while she was off at the restroom. Troy gathered the direction of Gabriella's thoughts.

"If you want to talk about it, about him...Michael...that's okay, you know," he put out there softly.

Gabriella's eyes returned to his. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "It's just that things are obvious to me now, for others and in looking back. It just sucks that when you're in it, you don't see."

Troy nodded his understanding. "How did you two come about if you don't mind my asking?"

Gabriella gave him a small, reassuring smile. "I don't mind you asking. I just mind that it's my story to tell now."

Troy reached over and placed his hand on her arm, stroking it soothingly with his thumb.

"We met at a coffee shop I used to go to all the time, near my office. I was dropping in and getting my usual and he was there too, in a hurry. He turned from retrieving his drink and nearly barreled me over. He was apologetic, we shared a laugh, and he was on his way. But he was back again the next day and he wasn't in such a hurry." She paused, not sure if she was providing too many details or not. Troy gave her a small, encouraging smile, so she continued. "Anyway, he apologized again and we talked for a few minutes. We talked again the next day too and the day after that and then he asked me out. It all seemed fairly typical to me. The part that was not as typical, for me anyway, was that he wasn't from Chicago. He traveled for work...a business consultant. I'd see him every other week for several days, sometimes less often, but I understood that his job required travel...yeah, we all understood, I guess," she said wryly.

"So, how many women was he lying to?"

Gabriella shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know for sure. I'd see the odd name here or there come through on his phone while we were together but he brushed it off, saying they were work associates. But he'd need to go off and have periodic private conversations and once during a heated argument, he slipped and called me Dee. He used to call me Brie. He said he was just tongue-tied with exasperation. Dee wasn't his wife's name either, so... I saw him flirt with waitresses and other women too. I gave him crap, teased him about how he couldn't seem to help himself, and tried not to let it bother me too much. It's ridiculous, really, how much I overlooked."

"Gabriella," Troy interrupted gently, "it's really hard to imagine that someone you have such strong feelings for, such good memories with, and such faith in could mean you any harm or pain. It's not ridiculous."

"Thanks," she said, sending a grateful look his way.

Troy offered her another reassuring smile. "How did you come to find out about him?"

"I saw them out at lunch, he and his wife. She had apparently flown in to surprise him. He was surprised alright...so much so that he had forgotten that I had told him I had a lunch meeting with my editor at that very restaurant. His wife...Leah was her name...picked it apparently and, eager to please, he brought her there. He didn't see me from where I was sitting. I couldn't eat or focus on Nancy, my editor. I just sat there stunned, watching, seeing the gold band I'd never before seen on his left hand and seeing her matching one, seeing him hold her hand and look at her lovingly and share light laughs with her." Gabriella's gaze drifted off over the crowd at the tables surrounding them and she fell into silence for a moment before continuing. "He told me about her later on when I confronted him." She took a sip of her water and stopped there, not wanting to relive the moments further.

Troy watched her carefully, watched her process the hurtful memories. He hated the weariness that had taken over her features and he hurt for how she had felt in those moments at the restaurant and in all of the moments that followed her painful realization. She was such a special, sweet, funny, intelligent, beautiful woman. Of course Michael and any other man with a pulse and half a brain might be attracted to her, but how someone could knowingly hurt her like that...it baffled the mind, it angered him, and it made him want to wrap her up in his arms and erase it all from her memory, as if she'd never had to go through that and never had to question whether or not love could or should be hers.

"He's a grade A asshole, Gabriella. And I'm sorry he had to come into your life."

Gabriella held his eyes for several moments. "I'm not," she said, surprising him. Seeing his raised eyebrows and more rounded eyes, she explained. "I wouldn't be here if he hadn't. I wouldn't be here with you," she said, raising her shoulders in acceptance and giving him a small smile, her face brightening up somewhat as she said it.

Troy's did as well as he understood. "Well, it's hard to argue with that, though I still wish you hadn't been hurt in the process."

"Thanks, Troy," she said sincerely, seeing him nod and smile sweetly in response.

They settled out their tab and made their way back to the docks to the boat that would take their group back to the mainland. Troy made sure everyone was accounted for and they got underway. On the trip back, they stood side by side at the rail, watching the Faraglioni, the three imposing rock formations trailing off the main island, get further and further away. Troy wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brushed his lips against her temple, reminding her that she was out of that hurt stage following Michael and that she was in the midst of something that felt very, very good. She leaned into him further, sliding her own arm around his waist.

"You mentioned dinner with my parents earlier. And though the conversations can be interesting sometimes, I should tell you about the food too. My mom makes spaghetti like nobody's business," Troy said, making good on his promise from that morning. "Her sauce is an all day process..."

Gabriella listened to him with a smile, enjoying getting a glimpse of Troy's parents through his eyes. Their ride back to shore was a pleasant one with Troy continuing to share and Gabriella chiming in from time to time with similarities or differences with her own parents.

* * *

Back at the hotel, the group disbanded once more for free time for the rest of the afternoon. Troy and Gabriella headed back up to their rooms and Troy set off to go retrieve some ice and water for them. Once he'd gone, Gabriella got a mischievous thought and retrieved some of her remaining sexier undergarments from her suitcase, taking them into his room. She had thought to hide one or two in pants pockets he could later find them in and then perhaps offer to model the rest for him. But as she looked at the clock by the bed, she remembered with a start that she'd promised to Skype with her parents at 3pm her time, 8am theirs, before they went into work. The clock now read 2:59. Tossing the underwear aside quickly, she made her way back into her room, opened up her laptop, and called them.

Troy saw the discarded lacy pieces upon returning to his room and shook his head with amusement. He set down the ice and drinks and then, pushing open the door between their rooms, he thought to give her a hard time about it.

"Montez, if you're just going to toss your underwear all over..." Troy trailed off from his teasing comment when he saw the look of horror cross Gabriella's face and saw her quickly hit the space bar on her laptop keyboard and stick her hand up in front of its camera. "My parents," she moaned.

"What?" he mouthed in disbelief.

"They're muted," she said with a sigh.

"Shit! Shit, shit, shit!"

"Exactly."

"Gabriella? Gabriella, dear, something's going on with the computer. We can't see you. Can you hear us?"

"It's okay. I'll recover," Troy said. Gabriella looked at him skeptically. "Trust me," he encouraged, giving her a small smile. "Just introduce me if they ask."

Gabriella slowly removed her hand from in front of the camera.

"Oh, there she is," she heard her mom exclaim. She next hit the space bar again to unmute the conversation.

"Hey...sorry...must be the overseas connection," she fibbed.

"Must be," Maria said, pausing and then asking, "Who was that talking to you about...your underwear, Gabriella?"

Gabriella felt the flame on her cheeks. "Umm, that was me," Troy said, moving so that he was within view. He offered a wave and a smile. "Sorry. I didn't realize Gabriella was in the middle of Skyping. I was just relaying a message the maid had asked me to."

"You're Troy," Maria said, recognizing him from photos Gabriella had emailed from earlier days of her trip.

"Oh, yes, ma'am, I am. Troy Bolton. Very nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Maria Montez, Gabriella's mother, and this is Carlos, her father." Troy nodded politely to each of them in acknowledgement. "What was this maid wanting you to pass on?"

"Oh, well, um, she didn't really appreciate the way Gabriella's been leaving undergarments and such lying everywhere. Sorry, Gabriella," Troy said, glancing over at her and seeing the look she was giving him. He fought his lips from curving. "So, I was just suggesting she try to keep that under control or tip the maid well. They're picky about that stuff here."

"Oh, Gabriella, it's like you're a teenager all over again." Troy glanced Gabriella's way, raising his eyebrows at her in amusement. "You should listen to Troy on both counts. Be tidier and tip well."

"Yes, mom," she said, narrowing her eyes briefly at the smirking man by her side.

"Well, baby girl, are you doing anything else fun besides pissing off maids over there?" Carlos teased, winking at his daughter through the screen.

Said daughter grinned at him and then thought a moment before answering. "As a matter of fact, I've been exploring all manner of transportation options here for you."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. The vespa was pretty cool but I think you'd most appreciate Troy's car. It's a 1958 Alfa Romeo..." She looked at Troy to finish the car name for her, so she didn't mess it up.

"Giulietta 750 Spider," he finished.

"Oh yeah?" Carlos asked, turning to Troy with interest. "How many original miles does it have?"

"It has 74,000. I bought it from a family who'd kept it in their barn for years after the grandfather it belonged to had passed on..."

Gabriella smiled proudly as she watched the dialogue between the two men unfold and saw Troy interact so well and animatedly with her dad. When she looked back at the screen, her mom's eyes caught hers and she knew she was being studied, which meant she knew her mom was onto her, which meant questions and plenty of them later.

"So, Troy, you've been driving my daughter around?"

"Yes, Mrs. Montez."

"He's shown me other sights for my story, mom. I told you about some."

"Mmmhmm," Maria said distractedly, her eyes moving from Gabriella to Troy and back. "Well, I do hope you've been careful in your travels."

"Definitely," Troy answered and Gabriella wasn't sure if he'd recognized the underlying meaning. She made a mental note to eat her mother's souvenir chocolate tube.

"I'll write you more about them later, mom," she said, knowing her mom would understand that meant she'd tell her more about what she felt for Troy, but she wasn't discussing it right now.

"I'll look forward to it, dear."

"Gabriella tells me you've been here before," Troy stated, making eye contact with Maria.

"Oh...yes, years ago now, but I loved it."

Gabriella watched as Troy proceeded to chat easily with her mom too, charming her as he seemed to be able to do with most anyone. She participated in the conversation too but mostly enjoyed observing the other three.

"Well, honey," her mom began a little while later, "much as we hate to say goodbye, we need to get to work and lucky us, we get to travel all the way down the Kennedy."

"Yeah, I don't think we'll be seeing any Alfa Romeos on the commute either," Carlos added wistfully. "Don't forget to email those photos of it you said you could, Troy. Gabi has our email address."

"Will do, Sir."

"Troy, if you should happen to forget, we'll all be okay too," Maria joked, elbowing her husband playfully and rolling her eyes, making Troy laugh a little.

"Aww, come on, mom, let him look," Gabriella teased on behalf of her father, earning a grin from him and then seeing that grin turn into a frown as she continued. "This isn't Juanita, after all."

"Oh, geez, Gabriella, let's never speak that cursed name again."

Troy looked between all three Montez family members with confusion.

"Juanita was my dad's motorcycle. Mom wasn't a fan."

"Beautiful bike, Troy. Harley..."

"That nearly got you killed!"

"Maria, it was my own stupid fault and you're exaggerating. And I got rid of the bike. I'm staying safe for my girls...but it _was_ a sweet ride."

Troy grinned, his only acknowledgement to Carlos that he understood, given that he didn't want to tick the Montez women off by encouraging the discussion further. He did make a mental note, however, to talk about the bike with Carlos at a later date if he was afforded the opportunity. At least on a vehicular level, he and Gabriella's father seemed to gel and it was always good to have some common ground.

Gabriella shook her head at her parents and their antics. "Well, enjoy your sweet ride to work," she teased. "We'll go soak up some Italian sun. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it."

"Hardy har har," Maria responded. "Well, enjoy. Really, dear. You should just keep having a great time. We're happy you have this opportunity."

"Thanks! So am I."

"Troy, it was very nice to meet you. Thanks for watching out for our daughter."

"Oh, it's...an honor. Very nice to meet you too."

After exchanging "I love you's," the Montez family disconnected the Skype call from each other.

"Nice recovery, Bolton...though at my expense."

"Well, it seemed less awkward than saying 'your daughter, insatiable thing that she is, keeps getting naked with me and leaves her underwear wherever it falls,' don'tcha think?"

"I suppose. Does my underwear bother you so?" she asked sassily.

"Quite the contrary."

"Then, what were you going to say when you came into the room earlier?"

Troy grinned. "Just that if you're just going to toss it everywhere, I may have to insist that you don't wear any at all."

Gabriella's lips curved upward. "Hmm. And here I was thinking I might model it all for you to decide which to wear."

"Well, that's not a horrible idea either," Troy said, stepping forward and pulling her into his arms.

"Actually, I guess I should decide which beach attire to wear for right now."

"I can't say as I've had any complaints about your swimwear so far."

"No?"

"No...other than how distracting it is."

"No less so than your swimming look."

"Then, I guess we'll both just be distracted," Troy remarked, bringing his face just inches from hers.

"I guess so," she breathed, closing the distance between their lips and kissing him.

After this languorous kiss, they did manage to get themselves ready and head down to the hotel's beach, which was an interesting experience in and of itself. With the hotel being built into the cliffside, there was an elevator built into the rock, which actually took them right down to a sunbathing platform adjacent to the beach level. Eventually entering the sea, they treaded water and swam around each other, chatting all the while, about some of their favorite beaches and about when and how they'd learned to swim, about Gabriella's short stint as a lifeguard when she was a teenager, which Troy pronounced was "hot," and about Troy's pet goldfish, Albert, who he'd won at a fair when he was seven and who had lived a rare long life for a goldfish. Back on the platform, as they laid out on beach chairs to dry off, they held hands and watched the tide come in, at times talking some more and at times, just enjoying a calm silence.

* * *

That evening, after they had taken care of their respective job duties, Troy found Gabriella sitting out on the balcony, arms folded tightly.

"Chilly?" he asked, softly.

"A little," she answered, looking up at him and smiling.

Troy disappeared back inside for a minute but soon returned with a sweater from her suitcase and two boxes in hand. He set the boxes down on the table in front of them and placed the sweater over her shoulders, taking the seat next to her after scooting it closer so that their legs nearly touched.

"Snoopin' through my things, huh?" Gabriella teased, shifting her knee so that it lightly bumped his.

"With good purpose," he responded, fingering the sweater briefly.

Gabriella smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. So, Sharpay really did get a variety pack?"

"You thought I was lying?"

"You play coy sometimes," Troy said with a light shrug and a grin, hearing the sweet sound of her laughter fill the air a moment later.

"If I was going to be honest about what she sent along in general, I wasn't going to lie about the details."

"I see that. Well, it was so thoughtful of her. We won't need to buy another box for, like, another two days or something."

"You're quite the overachiever, aren't you?"

"So are you."

"With you, I am."

Troy smiled broadly at this. "And which of this variety do you prefer, Montez?"

"Ultra thin," she said, seeing that her answer pleased him. "Why? Did you hope to get a little balcony action?"

Troy laughed. "I wouldn't be opposed to that, but no, I didn't have an agenda other than to explore what types we had."

"I don't quite believe you," she said saucily. "But I do think we should unwrap something."

"You do?"

"Mmmhmm," she hummed, reaching for the other box on the table. "How did you know I was craving chocolate?" She heard his deep chuckle as she opened the box and retrieved a Baci kiss for herself.

Troy reached over and grabbed himself a piece of candy too and they sat there unwrapping them. "A hunch, I guess."

"Being a woman is a terribly difficult task since it consists principally in dealing with men. Conrad," Gabriella read from her wrapper insert. "Well, that's very true."

"Ha. Ha. Then, you'll like this one too. Woman: 'You don't understand me!' Man: 'What do you mean?' Anonymous."

"That's great," Gabriella remarked, giggling.

"I think the other box would've been kinder to me."

"I'm kind to you," Gabriela said, sliding her fingers along his forearm.

"Not kind enough for balcony action."

"I never said that."

Troy grinned. "Where's the craziest place you've ever had sex?"

"I'm not all that crazy. I don't know...in the same room as a sleeping friend."

"How very rude, Montez."

"Shut it."

"Anywhere else?"

"On a bean bag chair."

"Presumably not around the sleeping friend? Can't imagine that could've been quiet."

"No, not around a friend. Oh, I did it in the office I shared with my boss once."

"Not your current boss though?"

"No, an old one."

"Ah." Troy started to wonder if he should have started this discussion. With the first two examples, he assumed she referred to college but with the last, he'd had a flash of disdain as he'd wondered if that had been Michael. It seemed not now, but he realized he had disdain for any of the others because they weren't him, as unfair or unrealistic as that thinking was since he'd yet to meet her at that point.

"What about you? Off doing it on planes, trains, and automobiles?"

"Um, maybe two of the three, though I've yet to meet Rebecca De Mornay on a train."

"Ah, back when Tom's dancing around didn't seem so crazy."

"Yes."

"And beaches, fields, mountains?"

Troy paused. "Well, not actually outdoors on an actual mountaintop."

"Oh geez."

This was definitely not the best idea. Katherine had come to mind and he really didn't want that.

Gabriella looked forward into the vast darkness of the sky and ocean. Though they were keeping things vague, it was hard not to wonder which experiences had involved Katherine. It was also hard not to hate the mental images of Troy with other women.

"I think my favorite crazy place though was this fancy hotel room in Rome that dozens of celebrities have slept in...gorgeous brunette...made me do unspeakable things with Veruschkas..."

Gabriella's lips curved slowly upward and she turned back to see the lazy smile on his face. "Mmm, I bet that was memorable."

"It was. I'll never be the same."

Gabriella slid her hand down and joined it with his and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Troy pressed a kiss to her forehead and looked out toward the sea, smiling. That was better. Just thoughts of the two of them again.

After several moments of silence, Gabriella spoke once more, a bit hesitantly. "Back to planes...kind of...when was the last time you flew to the U.S.?"

"I was back there four months ago for my friend Pete's wedding and ten months ago for my grandparents' anniversary party." He hadn't been in the best mood for celebrating love at either, but he didn't care to dwell on that.

"Your dad's parents?"

"Yep."

"And they live in California?"

"Yeah, they're in Santa Barbara."

"Bet they miss you guys."

"They do, but we do what we can to stay in touch pretty frequently. They're surprisingly pretty good with email and video chatting and such."

Gabriella produced a small smile at this, though Troy couldn't see it.

"And we fly back at least once a year to see them in person."

"That's good."

"It's not easy splitting the family but I do think there are plenty of families that live all together in the same town that aren't as close as ours and that see each other as frequently or less frequently than we do," Troy said, a bit of pride in his voice.

Gabriella acknowledged the truth of that statement. Aside from her parents and her one remaining grandfather, she didn't see most of her extended family except at Christmas. Sometimes, she saw her aunt and cousins at Memorial or Labor Day, but it was hit or miss. She told Troy this and he listened, nodding. Then, they went on to talk about some of their respective families' holiday traditions, finding that they'd been raised pretty similarly. That was a comfort somehow.

After a while, the wind picked up and Gabriella shivered once more despite her sweater.

"Do you want to go inside?" Troy asked softly.

"Yeah, I think so."

Rising, they both retrieved their items and headed inside, pulling the door shut behind them.

"So, I made this pinkie promise this morning..." Troy began, giving her a lopsided grin.

"You did."

"Your bed or mine?"

"Mine. Variety's good for the soul."

"It is. Speaking of variety..."

Gabriella pursed her lips and looked at him, her eyes smiling as she anticipated the direction of his statement.

"I saw that there were a variety of movies available for rent on the tv."

She raised her eyebrows at him. That wasn't what she'd expected.

"Is that so?"

"Yep. You see, I've gotten to travel around Rome with you on a vespa and in a carriage and I've gotten to watch the sun rise over Florence with you, but I haven't gotten to just sit and watch a movie with you."

Gabriella bit her lip lightly, studying the sincerity on his face. "True. What if I want to watch something entirely sappy and girly?"

Troy chuckled softly. "Then, I'll request that the next movie we watch is not so sappy and girly."

"That seems fair."

They each got ready for bed and then crawled in under Gabriella's covers, the light from the tv and from the moonlight shining in through the balcony door the only remaining light in the room. As the movie began, Troy brought his arm around Gabriella's small body and she snuggled into his side. The opening credits rolled and the screen showed a plane traveling across the sky.

"Gabriella..."

"Hmm?"

"I'm a great traveler...and I have a lot of frequent flyer miles...in case you were wondering."

Gabriella felt the corners of her lips lift at this. She slid her hand up under his shirt, letting it rest on his stomach. "That is good to know," she said softly, taking a breath and watching the first scene of the movie unfold, feeling comforted by his words as well as the solid heat of him next to her.

Above her head, Troy smiled. Then, he squeezed her further to him and settled in to enjoy the movie they were watching...more than he'd ever admit to her later that he did.


	23. Chapter 23

**Escape to Love Chapter 23**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Days 18 & 19 (Tues. & Wed.)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Aww, again you guys rock with your lovely reviews! Thanks so much! Well, for those who were a little disappointed that Troy didn't get any balcony action last chapter...1) you may like this chapter and 2) I wouldn't rule out future balcony action. ;-) So, ehrm, yeah...this chapter is mostly a lot of M fun (read: don't let the kiddos/parents/bosses read over your shoulder) but it's some sweetness along with the fun too. Yep, mostly fun...until it's not. You'll know what I mean. Enjoy!

* * *

"Mmm, wait," Troy murmured, feeling her slipping from his arms to get out of bed.

"We can't hit snooze again. Lot of ground to cover today, remember?"

He did vaguely remember saying that to her the night before and rather regretted it now.

"It'll get covered. Come back here. I have ground I'd like to cover first."

She looked back at his lazily opening eyes with amusement. "Oh no you don't. It's not my fault somebody wanted to stay up watching a sappy, girly movie instead of getting hot and heavy," she teased, though she had absolutely loved just hanging out with him and doing that, and he knew that.

Troy groaned. "That is so unfair, Montez, and you know it."

"Life's not fair," she sing-songed, enjoying being the one to deliver the reality check this morning.

Troy watched her disappear into the bathroom and heard the shower turn on. Sighing, he rolled out of bed, discarded his pajamas, waited until he heard the shower door open and close for the second time, and then waltzed into the bathroom, intent on joining her.

Gabriella turned to look at him in surprise as she saw him approach the shower. "What are you doing?"

"In the interest of saving time," he said, reaching for and opening the shower door and stepping in.

"I see," she said coyly, stepping to the side a bit so that he could feel the spray of the water as well.

She proceeded to finish lathering her hair before Troy stepped back, allowing her to rinse it out thoroughly. Then, he quickly washed his and she lathered up her body with soap and waited to rinse it off. Except that when Troy finished rinsing his hair, he stepped forward instead of back, pressing himself to her. "I need some soap, Montez," he said by way of explanation.

"And you thought to steal mine?"

"Not steal...share."

"Ah," she responded, wrapping her arms around him and rubbing the excess suds from her body down over him. Troy leaned and she met his lips in a steamy kiss. Breaking from it, she turned their bodies and backed them both under the water, watching as it streamed down over their skin, chasing the soap to the drain. She felt Troy's hands start to follow the interesting trails it was making over her contours and decided to take matters into her own hands, so to speak.

Running her own fingers down his torso, she eyed him suspiciously. "So, you thought you'd just barge into my shower and we would both manage to get clean while saving some time, huh?"

"Mmmhmm," he purred.

"So, you didn't think that by being in here you might somehow convince me to, say, wrap my hand around your cock and stroke it?"

Troy felt his blood start to heat to a boil as she did just that. "No, of course not."

Gabriella held his gaze and pulled them out from beneath the water somewhat. "And, you definitely didn't mean for me to drop down onto my knees like this and take you into my mouth to get you off, right?"

Troy let out a strangled moan as he watched and felt himself disappear between her lips. "Never...dreamed of it," he choked out, feeling his pleasure build as she sucked on his most sensitive skin and brought a hand up to fondle his balls as well. But it was over too soon.

"Good," Gabriella said, pulling back abruptly and rising once more. "Because time is a-wastin' and we have to get dressed, get our stuff packed up and get downstairs." With that, she gave him a quick smile and pushed open the shower door, stepping out, retrieving her towel and exiting the bathroom.

Troy stood there, eyes wide, looking after her. "Are you coming?" he heard her call a few moments later. "Not right now, apparently," he muttered, turning off the water and exiting the shower himself.

* * *

"Mmm, breakfast sausage. That really hits the spot."

"Really? You're going to go there?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't. That was very mean in the shower, Montez."

"I thought it was rather generous, myself, given the time constraints."

"Yes, well, I'd appreciate your generosity much more without time constraints."

"So sorry."

"I'm sure."

"What are you two bickering about?" Jennifer teased, sitting down across from them.

"We're not bickering."

"Oh, well, too bad. It's a lot of fun making up from a good bickering session."

Troy and Gabriella shot humored looks her way.

"I think she's missing David a little bit much," Gabriella remarked.

Troy nodded his agreement.

"Hey! Can you blame me? It's been almost three weeks and I miss my baby. So, you two just humor me and play out this lovely thing you've got going to my amusement and satisfaction, okay?"

"Oh, well, for your amusement and satisfaction," Gabriella replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes in her friend's direction.

"What if I kiss her? Will that work for you?" Troy offered, a gleam in his eye.

Gabriella's head whipped back to look at him skeptically. "Really? For her benefit?"

"Yes, that will work nicely, thanks," Jennifer replied. "And, you," she said, narrowing her eyes at her dark-haired friend, "shut it and pucker up."

Gabriella had a hard time not busting up laughing at the order. Her eyes turned back to Troy.

"You heard the woman," Troy said. "And, of course it's for her benefit. Why else would I want to kiss you, after all?"

"Why indeed?"

Troy slid his hand behind her neck and brought his lips to hers, kissing her sweetly. As he did so though, Gabriella let her hand brush across his lap, grazing his penis. They were at the back corner of a table, and even if anyone had been able to see the action, they would have presumed it was unintentional, but Troy knew better. As they pulled back from the kiss, Gabriella looked up at him beatifically. He narrowed his eyes just slightly at her and then they both turned to smile at Jennifer and continue eating.

* * *

The bus ride to the nearby Ravello was pretty uneventful. There, they visited Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone, with their famous gardens, stunning architecture, and gorgeous views down the Amalfi coast. Their next stop took a little longer to get to, Paestum, an ancient Graeco-Roman city. There, they visited the standing remains of three major temples dating from the first half of the 6th century BC. They also saw the Roman Forum and amphitheater there and the site just south of the city walls known as Santa Venera, where a series of small terracotta statuettes of a standing female nude goddess were found in the sanctuary.

"Mmm, how do I compare?" Gabriella asked teasingly, standing next to one of the statues.

"Now, that's a ridiculous question. You're a bit warmer and softer than she is, if my memory serves."

Gabriella laughed. "What else is in that memory of yours?" she asked, pressing herself to him suggestively. Troy looked around to see that they were alone in the current chamber.

"Things that do me absolutely no good right now," he said in a low tone, attempting to slide his hand down over her buttocks, only to have her step away quickly and shoot him a wink as she walked out of the room.

Troy blew out a frustrated breath. She was having a little too much fun at his expense today.

* * *

Following Paestum, the group settled in on the bus for the three and a half hour drive to their next overnight stop along Italy's heel. They wiled away the time talking and playing quick card games and sleeping, and of course they had a stop along the way for lunch. During lunch, Gabriella, Jennifer, and Johanna snickered, after having determined there was nothing like Italian meat. Gabriella had used the restroom and after the fact, as they were reboarding the bus, had pointed out to Troy that he could have joined her for a few minutes of privacy. Troy didn't feel entirely sad, considering that a few minutes was not what he had in mind at all.

Finally arriving in Bari, they filed off the bus, anxious to stretch their legs and check out their new hotel and surroundings. Having walked around the hotel grounds, Troy and Gabriella and their friends had found the pristine swimming pool that seemed to call to them all and had agreed, only to Troy's chagrin, to meet back there in a few minutes to swim.

Having checked into their adjoining rooms, Troy attempted to convince Gabriella that they could meet up with their friends eventually, but she only gleefully undressed him, eyed him appreciatively, and then pointed him toward his suitcase to retrieve his board shorts whilst she disappeared into the bathroom to change into her bikini.

Having changed, they headed down to the pool, where Troy accepted the tube of sunblock from her and watched as she, rather thoroughly it seemed, rubbed the lotion she had poured into her hands all over her legs, putting one foot up after the other on the beach chair to get better access to each entire leg. He rubbed lotion on himself and Gabriella helped rub some on him too. He probably hadn't needed her help for his chest but her..._technique_ left him not caring to point this out. After she rubbed his back and he rubbed hers, she retrieved the tube from him once more, saying she'd missed a few spots. Holding it up in front of her, she squeezed and some of the creamy liquid squirted out at her in a stream that landed against her stomach. "Ooh," she exclaimed, placing the tube down and examining the cream for a moment before rubbing it into her skin with deliberate strokes, "I guess I touched it just right."

Troy bit the inside of his lower lip. She was evil. He'd fallen for an evil seductress.

"Hey, are you guys coming?"

'What was with that question?' Troy thought, gritting his teeth.

"I think there's a game of chicken with your names all over it," Jennifer called, motioning toward her sister, who currently sat atop Ivan's shoulders in the pool. Both she and Ivan were grinning at them challengingly.

"You're on!" Gabriella called back, turning to see Troy nod his assent. Eyes sparkling, she leaned forward and pecked him on the lips and pulled back, saying, "Come on. It's time for me to wrap my legs around your head and get all wet," before turning and heading toward the pool.

Oh, he was so going to get her back.

* * *

The elevator was taking too long for his liking. And when they strode into her room, he found himself surveying it, considering. Her suitcase was still out on the bed, which was fine...the bed was too easy. Gabriella was retrieving her laptop and placing it out on the desk. The desk...with a big mirror on the wall behind it. Ding. Ding. He had a winner.

Passing the suitcase, he quietly slid his hand inside the box that was staring back at him and retrieved one of the items inside. Ultra thin...perfect. He moved in behind her and slid the chair off to the side. Then, he reached around her and placed his hand on the laptop, shutting it.

Gabriella turned to ask him what he was doing, but was silenced by his mouth, which had roughly taken hers in a fervent kiss. Her senses reeled and she wasn't prepared when he abruptly pulled back and turned her body so it was facing the desk once more. She looked in the mirror in front of her to see his face and the heated look she saw there gave her goosebumps.

"That's good, Gabriella," he said huskily. "You've gotten to watch the effect you were having on me all day. Now, you can watch the effect I have on you."

Her mouth parted with desire at his words. He held her eyes in the mirror as he slowly pushed her hair to the side and pulled on one string behind her neck, untying the knot there. Letting it drop, he brought his lips down to the side of her neck and sucked and nibbled there. She felt his hands slide up her back and felt him untie the strings there as well. As he let them go, she watched her bikini top fall to the desk below. Troy's lips left her neck as he watched this too. Her nipples hardened instantly as the cool air of the room made contact with them. Troy moved closer to her from behind and she could feel how aroused he was. His fingers slid around her waist and slowly climbed upward.

"Every single inch of you tempts me," he murmured and she let out a pleasured cry as his hands covered her breasts. He watched her squirm and saw the expressions on her face as he teased her tight buds with his fingers. And then he brought two fingers to the corner of her mouth and she opened instinctively for them, sucking them in for several moments before he removed them, using the wetness on them to create a new sensation as he circled one nipple tantalizingly and then slid his fingers away, letting the air hit it, keeping it torturously puckered. Gabriella felt and saw the fingers of his other hand at the other corner of her mouth and she sucked them in as well so he could repeat his titillation on her other breast. She got that this was supposed to be his..._retaliation_ of sorts for all of the teasing she'd done that day. The fact that she'd hoped for such a retaliation made this all the more exciting.

Troy's hardness was prodding her from behind and she grinned. Troy noticed. "You love how easily you can do that to me, don't you?"

"Of course," she answered honestly, hearing the low growl in his throat as he placed a hand on her cheek, turning her head so he could kiss her again. She met his tongue with hers and felt the hunger of his kiss and the level of his need for her. As he kissed her, she felt his other hand slide down from her breast over her stomach to slide under the material of her bikini bottoms. She moaned into the kiss as he began to stroke her there. He teased her, not surprisingly, varying his pressure and hand placement. And his fingers retreated without ever entering her. He released her from the kiss and smiled devilishly down at her.

"You love how easily you can affect me too," she remarked.

"Of course," he shot back at her. "Now, let me affect you some more," he said, tugging her lower lip between his own for a moment before pulling back and gently rotating her head so she was facing forward again. She watched in the mirror as he dipped his head to her shoulder and placed a light love bite there. His hands were on her hips and she saw him untying her bikini strings there, succeeding in one fluid motion to release them and remove the small piece of material from her. She heard it drop to the floor and she saw her naked self pressed back against his bare torso, his hands resting back on her hips as he just took in her bared appearance in the mirror.

They stood like that for what felt like minutes and Gabriella just listened to the sound of their hitched breathing, waiting. Impatient, she tried to bring her hand around her back to slide it down over him, but he stopped her. "Uh, uh. You've had your chance. It's my turn to touch you now, at my pace," he said.

After another few moments, his hand slid down over her sex and just cupped her there, not moving, just possessively holding her. His other hand slid up to cover her breast in a similar manner. Gabriella read the emotions on his face, the intensity there, and she was incredibly turned on. His actions screamed "mine" and she had absolutely no argument for that.

His thumb and forefinger began to roll her nipple first and then his other hand began to move in a slow circle before gently separating her so that his fingers could slide into her folds. She gasped as he circled her clit with his finger.

Troy brought his lips to her ear and whispered, "Look how wet you are, Gabriella."

She could see the moisture glistening there between her thighs and on his fingers and watching those fingers slide around and manipulate her so was driving her crazy. Troy teased her earlobe with his tongue and then kissed his way down her neck as he continued to bring her closer. She felt her mouth go dry as she felt the hot burning sensation at her core and heard the low hum of her own pulsing blood thrumming in her ears. She shut her eyes and leaned back against him...and then he pulled his hand away, causing those eyes to pop open once more to look at him pleadingly.

Troy grinned and backed away from her somewhat, his hands sliding over her waist and pulling her backward as well. Then he brought his hands to her arms and moved them so that her hands were placed flat on the desk, essentially bending her over the desk and leaving her in an even more vulnerable position. Still, she felt a thrill run through her as she allowed him to position her and then felt his hands caress her ass. She looked forward and saw how he watched her as one hand slid lower and found her wetness once more. Squirming, she bit down hard on her lip as two fingers finally entered her. He probed her flesh from behind and she longed for him to probe her in a different way. It was hard for her to keep her eyes open but when she did look in the mirror again, she saw that he was using his free hand to slide his board shorts from his hips. He briefly removed his fingers from her to make the process go faster and she saw that he had tucked a condom into the waistband of the shorts, presumably before he'd begun his sweet torture of her. Now, he held that in one hand as he stepped out of the shorts. He swiftly discarded the wrapper and rolled the thin barrier onto his awaiting length. Then, he placed himself between her thighs and rubbed along her lips teasingly.

"Troy," she near panted.

"Yes?"

"I want you inside me."

Smiling, Troy pulled back and then plunged his fingers back inside of her, working them in and out of her purposefully. Moaning, she put her forehead down onto the desk and tried to regain her wits despite his actions.

"That's not exactly what I meant," she managed, lifting her head once more.

"No?"

"No," she gritted out.

"What did you mean then?"

She might just have to kill the bastard. Not that what he was doing really deserved death so much as ovation, but still. "Fuck me, dammit," she exclaimed, challenging him through the mirror and seeing the mix of amusement and pure desire on his features at her words.

He removed his fingers from her and wrapped one hand around his shaft, the other wrapping around her upper thigh. He rubbed himself along her again, spreading the wetness and using it to ease his entry. Her fingers tensed and gripped at the wooden desk as he slid smoothly into her, stretching her and filling her in the way that she'd craved.

Troy felt the double sensation of feeling himself inside of her and seeing on her face how his entering her had affected her. This had been a good idea if ever he'd had one. He began to move, slowly at first, nudging her deeply and seeing her expressions as he did so. "Better?" he asked slyly.

Gabriella held his eyes in the mirror for several moments, enjoying the feel of him. "More," she then requested confidently, and she felt him grip her thighs tighter in response before picking up his pace and thrusting harder and deeper into her. "Fuck, Troy, that's...oh, God," she moaned.

Troy was close. He'd been close, it felt like, for the last ten hours. But he wanted them to find their pleasure together, so he focused. He bent over her further and caught her swinging breasts with his hands, massaging them as he continued his thrusts and heard her breathily chanting his name. The position being a bit more challenging, he straightened up once more and slid one hand around front, fingering her clit and hearing her cry out even louder as he did so.

She was overheated...panting...and delightful waves were threatening to overtake her. The way she felt with him was...she had never felt this much with anyone else before. She just wanted them to ride the waves together. As she felt his other hand grip her ass and then felt his thumb just graze the outside of her anus, that sensation coupled with the stimulation of her clitoris and his unrelenting thrusts threatened to push her over the edge. "Come...with me...Troy," she pleaded before giving over to the sensations and feeling herself begin to pulse around him.

Her words and the feel of her body gripping him as her orgasm hit her were plenty to take Troy there as well. Gripping her hips, he drove into her, his head falling backward as he felt his own release take over his body. Then, he slumped forward, wrapping his arms around her waist and trying to catch his breath as he heard her labored breaths below him.

"God, Gabriella...it's...I..." he trailed off, kissing her back lovingly as he slowly pulled his weight from her and allowed their bodies to separate. Then, he swiftly removed and discarded the condom, wrapping it up in a tissue and discarding it in the wastebasket beneath the desk.

Gabriella leaned against the desk for another few moments before slowly standing up on her shaky legs and turning to face him. Doing so, she gripped his shoulders and pulled him to her for a slow, breathless kiss. Troy held her against him and kissed her lips reverently. Pulling back, he ran his fingers gently over her dark locks. "I didn't really mess up your hair this time," he teased lightly and Gabriella smiled in response.

"Do you feel better now, having gotten back at me?" she asked saucily.

"I think we both feel better now, don't you?" he responded with a smirk, one eyebrow raised at her.

She gave a playful half shrug. "I guess you could say that."

"My, my, you're a tough one to please," Troy teased. "I guess I'll just have to try harder."

"Is that even possible, Bolton?" she challenged. "You were trying pretty damn hard as it was."

Troy chuckled. "Oh, so you did notice?" he joked.

She nodded her head, eyes sparkling. "I noticed."

He leaned forward and kissed her once more and then pulled them both over to the bed. Pushing the suitcase aside, he laid down and pulled her down with him. They lay there in silence for several minutes and then Troy spoke quietly. "Being with you is...kind of...perfect."

"Perfect?" Gabriella asked happily.

"Well, our situation's not perfect, but this," he said, motioning to their entwined bodies, "definitely is."

"I wouldn't disagree."

Troy chuckled. "That, in and of itself, is amazing. Look how far we've come."

"I _was_ looking," she retorted slyly, earning some tickling of her sides by his multi-talented fingers.

"You know what I mean."

"I do."

"We feel...right." Gabriella held him even tighter. "I'm really, really thankful to Nonna for helping us get here."

"Yes, but...I think we would've regardless."

"True, but she helped us save a few extra days of stupidity probably."

Gabriella laughed. "Well, let's not fill her in on ALL she helped bring about."

"No? You don't foresee this as good dinner conversation?"

"Bolton, I would have to kill you...after torturing you mercilessly."

"Well, I know you have a talent for that."

Gabriella lifted her head up to look at him. "I was torturing myself too, you know."

Troy smiled. "Glad to hear it."

Gabriella brought her lips down to his and kissed him for a long while. Then, she snuggled back into his side and they lay there in silence for a while longer.

"You know we're going to have to really talk about us eventually, right?" Troy said quietly into her hair.

"I know," she breathed, several moments later. "I don't have any answers though."

"I know."

"I'm happy," she said honestly, a hopeful note in her voice.

"Me too."

"That's a good place to be."

"Yes."

"And if we're still happy at the end of the trip, then..."

"Maybe we should try to figure out how to stay happy."

"Yes."

They let that thought hang in the air and fell back into comfortable silence, just holding one another and eventually drifting off to sleep for a while. Waking later, they showered and joined the group for dinner and enjoyed a nice evening together. Since fair was fair, they watched an action film that night. Before doing so, however, whilst they took care of their own separate to dos, Gabriella sent an email off to her mother, giving her a brief overview of how her relationship with Troy had progressed and assuring her that she was being as careful as she could be. But she could only be so careful where her heart was involved. She ended her email with a question, hoping her mom might be able to provide her with some words of comfort or wisdom, because she knew she had some major thinking to do on the remainder of her trip and she knew the only thing easy about the situation was the way she felt when she was with him.

_"I've fallen in love with a man who lives 4,528.57 miles away (yes, I Googled it). What in the world am I supposed to do with that?"_

* * *

The next morning, Gabriella surprised Troy by coming and joining him in the shower. "To save time?" he asked.

"Mmm, mmm," she answered, shaking her head back and forth. She pressed her body to his and kissed him. Then, she went about helping him to wash his hair and lather up his body with soap and he did the same with her. Their actions were gentle...loving. They watched the water run down over them and rinse them and they kissed further, finding that this was a lovely way to start the day. Troy was about to reach over and turn off the water when Gabriella stopped him. Her lips curving, she let her hands run down over his muscular chest and his taut abs to the sensitive flesh below.

"Gabriella," he said warily, his voice somewhat hoarse as her actions were well-executed.

"Shhh," she said, holding his eyes as she continued to stroke and massage him.

Troy watched her uncertainly. His eyes glazing over with pleasure, he fiercely hoped she didn't intend to tease him like she had the day before. She moved closer and kissed him again, pulling at his lips with her own and probing his mouth with her small tongue, driving him as wild with her kiss as she was with her hands. He felt a sense of deja vu that gave him pause as she pulled away from their kiss and lowered herself to her knees in front of him. He ran his fingers through her hair and she looked up at him with a smile. "No teasing today, Troy," she assured him, her voice and her words sounding sexy as hell to him, as he watched her circle the tip of his penis with her tongue before enclosing it with her mouth and moving her lips slowly down the length of his shaft until she had every inch of him within her mouth. Troy leaned his head back against the glass shower wall and gave himself over to her as she brought him to his peak. He stood there, breathing heavily, pleasurable after shocks still shooting through his body as she slowly released him and he helped pull her back up to standing to face him.

There's an amazing amount of honest emotion on the face of a man who has just reached orgasm thanks to you and Gabriella saw it all. It hit her with a powerful force. A few more shaky breaths and his lips were on hers, a passionate acknowledgement of how she'd made him feel. She clung to him tightly and kissed him back. These moments they could always have and she did her best to cement this one in her mind with the others...the wonderful mix of laughter and smiles, naked bliss, delightful conversation, shared looks and experiences, and wonderful, silent togetherness. These were the things she was storing up within her.

"Thank you," Troy said sweetly.

"You don't have to thank me," she replied sincerely.

"Can I keep you?" he asked, his lips curving upward.

Gabriella laughed and so did he, but the reality of the question was not lost on either of them. Kissing once more and then finally exiting the shower, the two went about the business of getting dressed and packing up their things. They were getting really adept at that routine.

Breakfast was pleasant and the group enjoyed seeing some of the sights of Bari, such as the Basilica di San Nicola, the Swabian castle, and the old and new seaports, before heading out on the bus on their way to their next Eastern coast location. Before boarding the bus, Gabriella read the email that had come through on her phone. It was from her mom.

_"Gabi,_

_Wow. Your dear old mom is kind of speechless here. But I know you, and you don't say things like that lightly. So, I guess what you are supposed to do with that is make sure he knows it and figure out where you both stand and what you both want. And then...tell him how lovely Chicago is? :-) Okay, of course I need to say that, but I guess the best thing to say is to trust your heart, mija. You have a wonderful one and it's likely telling you the truth. I saw the way you two looked at each other. Your friends saw it too. (Don't be mad. They knew I was missing you and took me to lunch and of course we talked about you.) Anyway, Gabi, sweetheart, everyone just wants you to be happy. If Troy makes you happy, then it's worth figuring out your relationship further. I love you. You know I'm here for you to talk some more._

_Love always,_

_Mom"_

Gabriella smiled and put her phone away. "Everything alright?" Troy asked, coming up beside her.

"Yeah," she answered, still smiling. Troy returned the smile and studied her thoughtfully as she led the way onto the bus and he followed, having seen that everyone else had boarded.

After a three hour drive and a stop for lunch of course, they arrived in the seaside city of Pescara. They visited the Museum of the Abruzzi People and the Palazzo del Governo and then made their way to their hotel. Gabriella noticed a small flower shop on a corner diagonal to the hotel and decided to visit it once she got the chance. After she and Troy had checked into their adjoining rooms, she told him vaguely that she had an errand to run and that she needed to run it alone. He looked at her quizzically when she said it, but just said he'd wait for her there and grinned as she gave him a quick kiss and then headed back out the door and down the hall.

She'd easily walked the short distance to the shop and had made her purchase. She wanted to do something nice for Troy and she wanted him to know how she felt. She was smiling happily to herself as she entered the hotel lobby and was stopped in her tracks by a woman's voice, saying her name with a mixture of interest and dislike. "Gabriella Montez."

She turned to see who had spoken to her and was first drawn to the bright green eyes and then took in the tall, slender woman in front of her, with her long, straight brown hair and porcelain skin. "Do I know you?"

"You probably should."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I heard about you, but I would guess you haven't heard about me."

Gabriella looked back at her uncertainly.

"Oh, pardon my poor manners," she said, her fake syrupy tone not fooling anyone. "I'm Katherine...Mrs. Katherine Bolton."


	24. Chapter 24

**Escape to Love Chapter 24**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. M for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Day 19 (Wed.)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** So, I'm a broken record here, but thanks so much for all of your great reviews! It's awesome to hear what you guys are thinking and to see that these characters have really grabbed hold of you. :-) Now, I'll save my further comments until the end of the chapter because I know you just want to dive on in anyway. ;-)

* * *

"You're Katherine?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady and ignore the repetition of the full name the woman had given that was now circling through her head. 'Mrs. Katherine Bolton.' The woman was beautiful. She could see how she could be a model and an actress. But the condescending expression on her face was not beautiful and Gabriella wanted to slap that look right from her perfectly powdered face.

"Oh, so you have heard about me?"

Gabriella's eyes narrowed as the fight built back up within her. All she had heard about the woman in front of her ran through her head and the vibe she was getting directly from her only seemed to support what she'd learned. "I've heard about the mistake you were and about how much of a conniving, selfish bitch you are."

"My, my, he's found one with claws," Katherine remarked snottily.

"He's found one who appreciates him for the wonderful man he is, not for what she could use him for." She hoped he was still the wonderful man she thought he was. Her gut still told her he was.

"Well, aren't you high and mighty? You should enjoy him while you can, I guess. You don't really seem the type to hold his interest."

Gabriella clenched her fists but refused to be baited by this manipulative woman. "You never deserved him. I hope karma eventually gives you just what you deserve." And with that, holding her head high, all five foot, three inches of her, she turned and strode to the elevators, disappearing inside and holding her breath until the doors closed.

* * *

"Hey. I was starting to wonder what happened to you," Troy called from their other room as he heard her enter hers.

Gabriella walked silently over to the bed and sat down, replaying what had just happened downstairs over and over in her head. She lay the roses behind her, finding it hard to think about her motivation for getting them right now. Troy entered the room and the happy smile on his face was swiftly replaced by a look of confusion and concern.

"What's wrong, Gabriella? Tell me," he urged, sitting down next to her and placing a hand comfortingly on her back.

"Married...that can't be...Nonna wouldn't tell me to kiss her married grandson," she muttered to herself, trying to work this out in her mind. "And my luck really can't be that bad..."

"Gabriella, what are you talking about?"

Gabriella slowly raised her head and met his eyes. "I met Katherine, Troy...your...wife?"

Troy's eyes widened. What was Katherine doing there? "Wait...she's not...and you met her? Where?"

"Downstairs in the lobby...and she introduced herself as Mrs. Katherine Bolton."

Troy tried to process this new information and let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry, Gabriella. She's a bitch."

"So, she just made that up?" Gabriella asked shakily.

Troy held her gaze, seeing the fear and hurt there. She really had no idea. Shit! He hadn't realized.

"Not exactly."

Gabriella's eyes grew bigger and she started to pull her body away from him, but he stopped her. "Wait!"

She looked at him and saw the caring man she'd come to know. She didn't want to jump to any wrong conclusions...and she really wanted them to be wrong. She took a short breath and gave him the benefit of the doubt. "Please explain."

Troy took a breath and held her eyes as he spoke. "I think Nonna must not have told you a pretty important piece of information about Katherine and I feel like a complete idiot because I just assumed she had. I mean, you commented about me still helping out Vittorio and you referred to her as my ex and I figured..." Troy paused, shaking his head sadly. "Anyway, this has been botched I guess, but please know that I wasn't trying to keep this from you. Really. I just thought you already knew and, well, I'm not terribly fond of talking about it and using labels and such."

Gabriella nodded warily, waiting to hear what she didn't want to hear.

"She _was_ my wife, but she's not anymore. The divorce was final seven months ago."

"Diiiiivorce?" Gabriella asked, tears welling in her eyes. She was glad he wasn't married but she hated that someone else had gotten to be married to him.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Gabriella. I never meant to keep that from you and I hope it doesn't change things with us but I guess I understand if it's too much for you. You might just view me as damaged goods now and..."

Gabriella was shaking her head at him and holding her fingers up to his mouth. "Shh. Just...just wait a minute...let me process..." She stood up and walked toward the balcony door, resting her head against it and trying to reconcile what she had known of Troy's past with what she now also knew. Things made more sense to her in some respects but it was still some difficult information to take in. But Troy had been hurt. That was what she knew best about his relationship with Katherine. And he'd eventually coped by being reckless and fickle. And then he'd met her.

She walked back over to the bed and sat down next to him again. "That's huge, Troy. She was your wife. Are you sure that you're over her?"

"Yes," he answered, pleased with how true the answer rang for him.

"Because, she's here...she's here and she's still using your last name."

"And I have no desire to see her...other than to throttle her."

Gabriella's lips curved briefly. "I need you to mean that, Troy, because I have no desire to compete again with a wife, current or ex."

"I do mean it, Gabriella. I know I'm over her because...I am completely in love with you."

Gabriella's lips parted and she stared back at him, seeing the truthfulness of his words written all over his face. The tears returned to her eyes and did spill over this time, running down her cheeks as she tried to take a steady breath and speak.

Troy's hand gently brushed her tears away as he held her gaze and waited for her response.

"We don't do anything simply, do we?" she choked out after several moments.

A hopeful smile rose on Troy's lips. "No, that's just not us."

Managing to smile, Gabriella's eyes caught sight of the roses behind them. She reached back and retrieved them. "This is what I was doing before I met...the bitch."

Troy grinned at her choice of words and at the five lavender roses she was holding up.

"Because...you're unique and enchanting," she said, handing two to him with a quirky smile and a half lift of her shoulder. "And I adore you," she continued a moment later, handing a third rose to him, her eyes shining with her sincerity. "And I _have_ fallen in love with you." Troy accepted the fourth rose, his heart soaring. "And, I think we have...an apparently never dull, somewhat challenging, fairy tale kind of love."

Accepting the fifth rose, he laughed with her, his eyes wet with emotion too. "I want this. I want us. I want you. Just you," he assured her, his hand placed against her cheek once more as he said it.

"I...that's all I want too."

Troy leaned his forehead against hers and they sat like that for several moments. Then, their lips came together in a tender kiss.

"Do you want to just stay in all night?" Troy asked softly.

Gabriella thought for a moment and then shook her head. "No. We don't have any reason to hide. And I can take the chance of seeing her again if you can."

Troy nodded. He didn't particularly want to see her but he didn't want Gabriella to feel like she had to hide either. "Okay. Dinner and the jazz festival?"

"Sounds like a plan...but first...hold me for a while?"

Troy's lips curved into a soft smile and he stood briefly, placing his roses down on the nearby dresser. "Come here," he said then, lying down on the bed and motioning for her to move closer to him. She came around and lay facing him and he gathered her into his arms and held her to him, his hands slowly stroking her back soothingly.

"We'll need to talk more eventually...I have...questions," Gabriella spoke into his shirt.

"I know," Troy answered softly.

"But for now...this is good."

"Okay."

They lay there like that for an indeterminate amount of time and eventually got up and got ready for dinner. Troy asked what else Katherine had said to Gabriella and she recounted the brief conversation for him. He was angered by his ex's conniving remarks but proud and warmed by how Gabriella had reacted, trusting her feelings for him and not letting the other woman get the best of her. Inwardly steeling themselves, they left the room and took the elevator down to the lobby and met up with their group at the hotel restaurant for dinner. They enjoyed the local seafood and their friends' company and all went fine, but as they were crossing back through the lobby after dinner, Troy tightened his hold on her and she knew Katherine was near. Her arm around his waist, she squeezed reassuringly too.

Katherine was with another gentleman and she said a few words to him before approaching them. "Troy," she greeted with a smile Gabriella assumed usually got her exactly what she wanted from people.

"Katherine," Troy said with a crisp nod.

"You're looking well, darling."

"I am well. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, silly little photo shoot. Another magazine cover. Trying to look natural with the sand blowing up into your eyes...you know how that goes."

Troy ignored her attempt to get him talking about their common ground. "I assume Luca told you about Gabriella."

"Yes, he did. He showed me a lovely photo he'd snapped of her at Villa Lante. He also told me how rude and violent you were to him. Setting quite the example for your mom's tour company, aren't you? Violence? Fraternization?"

"You know and Luca knows that he had it coming. And you don't have a care for my mom's company...or setting a good example."

Katherine's eyes narrowed slightly but she didn't deny the truth of his words. "Well, in any event, you two seem to have moved on nicely from that unfortunate night."

"We have. Why haven't you moved on from using my name?"

"I...darling, you gave me your name freely...happily."

"Naively...mistakenly."

"Well, it means something to me. It always will, and it's my prerogative to keep it."

"It means you get to keep using my connections. I suggest you find a new last name if your old one doesn't suit you anymore. You were never a Bolton. And you are no longer a Mrs., so I don't know what kind of game you were trying to play, but you were playing it alone."

"Troy..."

"I'll take you back to court if I need to. You keeping my name was never one of the agreed upon conditions. In fact, I think our lawyers could confirm that you signed away your right to it in exchange for all you did get instead. And I'm sure the negative press would do wonders for your career," he said sarcastically. "Nevermind the connections I could actually call upon to affect that."

"Are you threatening me?"

"I'm ensuring that you know that I'm serious on this. We're through, Katherine...and you don't get to keep any part of me. And you don't get to check up on me and you sure as hell don't get to stalk Gabriella. You and Luca will both stay out of our lives."

The smooth lines of Katherine's face turned hard. "Did you know, Troy, that the house sold to a lovely company that plans to tear it down and just use the land as an extra production area? Your name is the only thing of interest to me, but there are better names than yours."

Gabriella watched Troy's jaw clench and wondered about the house she'd spoken of. "God, you're a bitch. I don't know how I overlooked that for so long. It's just as well. The past is the past. And the future," Troy said, his expression softening once more as he looked down and met Gabriella's eyes, "is something I'm looking forward to."

Katherine seemed unsure how to respond to that.

"Anyway, we're going to continue on with our evening. Goodbye, Caterina Contadino," Troy said with a half smirk, turning and guiding Gabriella toward the front doors of the lobby. Gabriella smiled and gave him another comforting squeeze. She hadn't really said anything inside but she didn't need to. It was about Troy's closure, his moment, and she thought he'd handled it beautifully.

Katherine's mouth dropped open slightly and then she scowled looking after them. No one had called her that in some time. Huffing, she turned to go join Richard, the art director for her shoot. His last name had a lovely ring to it.

* * *

Troy and Gabriella walked the nearby streets, seeing some of the outdoor stages that had been set up and taking in some of the jazz festival performances. They slipped in and out of little night clubs, hearing more amazing music and enjoying their time together. After while, they found themselves out walking along one of the piers next to the water.

"Do you think she was hoping to rekindle things with you?"

"No. I think she was just trying to get back at me on Luca's behalf by trying to break us up."

Gabriella nodded, accepting this. "So, there was a house?" she asked softly, recalling the earlier conversation with Katherine.

Troy breathed in the night air for a moment and then turned to face her. "Yeah. In Montalcino. I bought it so we could be closer to the vineyard and our families, but that was never Katherine's dream. It was a way to take her away from her dream. The city was where she wanted to be. She never did anything much with the house, but she fought for it in the divorce. She wanted all of the assets she could gain, ever the opportunist."

"I'm sorry, Troy. That's awful."

"It's okay. The house was sullied with bad memories anyway. It was a really nice house though, the kind that could be a home. I guess it won't get to be for anyone though."

Gabriella squeezed his hand in hers lovingly. "Was it a long divorce process? How long were you two married?"

"I guess I should answer the second question first. I told you I moved here for her. I did. We had had one wonderful summer when we were younger and we had gotten back in touch...well, she had sought me out actually. She'd done her research and had seen how successful I'd become. Anyway, I fell for her lies and I got the position at the college and moved here. She was everything I thought I remembered her as at first. She _is_ a decent actress. We were married within four months. The marriage lasted for eight. Then, the divorce proceedings took three. It was messy. She had a ruthless lawyer. Mine was no stiff either but I was just tired; I wanted it all done. She wanted the vineyard...my share of it anyway...not for any love of the place, but because she wanted to make money from it. She got the house and cash instead. I didn't want her to have any other ties to or hold on my family."

Gabriella shook her head, pained for him. "No wonder you didn't want to let any other women close."

"Yeah, she did a number on me. After the divorce finally went through, I spent the first month being pretty reclusive, just going through the day to day motions and trying to figure out why I'd been such an idiot. Then, after my friends finally got me out again, I realized another option, though not a tremendously healthy one, but a way of life I could try to get used to. I felt in control again and I liked that. I didn't like that version of myself that much though and you put a glaring mirror up in front of me making that even more clear."

"I'm glad...because the you I know is such a wonderful, caring, intelligent, funny, talented, sexy human being."

"Hmm...keep going," Troy joked, earning a light slap from her.

"Seriously, Troy. You didn't deserve all of her crap. She didn't treat your heart right."

"Will you?" he asked softly, stopping and holding her eyes with his.

"I will really try my best," she said sincerely, "but there's probably something else you should know."

Troy looked at her questioningly.

"Can we go back to the room?"

"Sure."

Still holding hands, they walked the short distance back to the hotel and made their way to Gabriella's room. Once inside, she let go of his hand and retrieved her laptop, pulling up and sorting through old emails until she found the one she was looking for. She motioned for Troy to come and read it and he saw it was from Michael and was dated from four months ago.

_"Brie,_

_I miss you. This past month has been hell. The ten months we spent together were the best of my life. Maybe we could talk. Maybe I could leave Leah. Can we figure this out, please? Will you write back or answer my phone calls?_

_Love,_

_Michael"_

Troy looked warily back up at Gabriella, not sure what she was trying to tell him other than that Michael had still wanted her even after she'd found out about him. "Did you...write him or talk to him?"

"No...and he eventually stopped trying."

"Do you wish you had?"

"No. But I'm not proud of how I was with Michael and, especially now knowing you were married and I was that person on the outside threatening to wreck another marriage..."

"Gabriella, I don't hold that against you. You were as fooled as I was."

"But that's the thing, Troy. After I found out, I...it wasn't my best moment ever, but I...when I talked to Michael afterwards, I asked him if what we had was real. He said he did really love me. And...I asked him if he was going to leave his wife for me. I made an attempt to hold onto him and break them up. I was...so selfish. And I'm so ashamed whenever I replay those moments in my mind. And you deserve to know that there's that weaker side of me...a side of me that might disgust you."

"You don't disgust me, Gabriella. You were hurt and you were human. You were reacting in the moment. And when he did offer later on, you never tried to follow up on it."

"No. I told Tay and we drank and cursed him and got through it. But it's not who I am or ever want to be. I do respect marriage and, well, I just didn't handle any of it very well. I didn't tell his wife either. I went back and forth on that. I didn't know which would be the least selfish thing to do and in the end, in discussing it with friends, I just got the hell out of the situation and didn't do anything more. I don't know if that was right or not."

"You handled it all the best you could. And, really, his wife probably knew what she wanted to know. I did. I knew things weren't right, but I chose to ignore them. And you were still misled into your relationship, pulled in to a point where it was really hard to immediately let that go. You had to see if the future you had envisioned could still somehow be. Stop beating yourself up for it."

Gabriella studied Troy's face and she really didn't see any condemnation there. All she saw was care...for her feelings and well-being. "So...it really doesn't bother you?"

Troy's lips curved slightly and he pulled her up into his embrace. He hugged her for a long moment and then pulled back to look down at her face. "No. It doesn't bother me. It doesn't change anything. It doesn't change my feelings for you." Troy paused, seeing her smile. "Does it bother you that I've already been married and divorced?"

Gabriella bit her lip briefly. What bothered her about it was crazy and presumptuous. So, how to answer that question... "From a general perspective, it doesn't bother me. I mean, I don't judge those that have been married and divorced. I know things happen and I know what happened for you and I only feel pain on your behalf because, knowing what I do of you, I know you went into that with love and sincerity and the best of intentions for the future."

Troy gave her a small smile and nodded, acknowledging the sad truth of her statement. "What about the non-general perspective?"

Gabriella paused for a moment and offered him a shy shrug. "The non-general perspective isn't fair," she said, looking down.

"It doesn't have to be fair. Tell me...it's okay."

She looked up at him again with a slight lift of her lips. 'It sucks that someone else got to marry you first,' is what her mind was saying. "It's just a general past jealousy thing, not that it's fair to be jealous or unhappy about anyone in your life before I met you. I just...it doesn't make me all warm and fuzzy thinking about it."

Troy felt a mix of emotions. She didn't like thinking of him with anyone else and he could appreciate that since he felt the same about her. But he also felt the touch of regret and sadness he had felt since he'd realized a year ago that he was going to have to alter his life's plan. He would always have a first marriage already...a blight, a failure, something unique he couldn't give to another woman in the same way. And having, against all prior hopelessness about the matter, found someone who he could consider that possibility with again, it hurt as this knowledge hit him once more.

Gabriella saw the sadness cross Troy's face and she didn't want him to feel that. "It's not...I told you, it's not fair...it's...Troy, none of it's a deal breaker. I'm just saying that I'm, well, feeling kind of selfish when it comes to you now," she finished with a helpless shrug and a sweet smile that made Troy feel a bit better.

"I'm feeling rather selfish when it comes to you too."

Gabriella's smile widened further. She took a cleansing breath and gave him further assurance. "I'm okay with your life, with what you bring to the table, if you're okay with mine and what I bring."

Troy nodded, smiling and bringing himself back to a place of acceptance. He couldn't change the past but he could live his life the best way he could now. They both could and he expressed that to her. "We are who we are now. We can't change the past, but we can move forward. I just want to move forward. Do you?"

She loved the sincerity she saw in the blue eyes staring back at her. "Yes."

"Good," he said, smiling down at her for several beats before they were drawn together in a long kiss. The kiss was interrupted by the sound of fireworks going off outside. They moved out onto the balcony to see the colorful explosions as they took place high above the harbor. Troy held her to his side as they watched and pointed happily at the ones they liked the best. When the show was over, Troy turned toward her once more.

"I love you, Gabriella," he said in a low, reverent tone, his eyes holding hers and the truth in them leaving no room for skepticism or argument.

"I love you too, Troy." And she did. And it felt really good to say it. Really good and really scary...but mostly good.

One set of lips found the other again, sealing the special moment with a kiss full of its own fireworks. Then, they made their way back inside their room and forgot about everyone else in the world for another memorable night of just being Troy and Gabriella.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sooo...Troy is no Michael; he's just...a guy...and they fail to offer up important information sometimes, assume you know things sometimes that you don't, etc. And, in case anyone was wondering, the marriage thing wasn't just contrived last week or anything; it was in my original notes/plot for this story. So, it's been embedded in here subtly but never overtly until now. The "ex" terminology has been used generally but could be viewed more specifically depending on the person's own experience of an "ex." And why Nonna didn't say that they were married/divorced outright...maybe she was just rambling and grandma-like and didn't realize she hadn't said it or that Gabriella didn't know...or maybe she had some purpose...hmmm. You never know with Nonna. ;-) Anyway, hope this reveal made sense in the grand scheme and hope you weren't disappointed that there wasn't actual eye scratching or that Gabriella didn't overreact and hop a plane back to the states without ever talking to Troy. Trust me when I say that different possible reactions crossed my mind, but Troy and Gabriella _have_ made progress, a good deal of it, with their own personal healing and with their trust for each other and this is where I felt they were in terms of how they reacted. In any event, I hope it was satisfying...enlightening...enjoyable. Thanks, as always, for reading!


	25. Chapter 25

**Escape to Love Chapter 25**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Days 20 & 21 (Thurs & Fri)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Well, yep, life is getting the better of me these days, so this chapter has taken a little while. I hope you will enjoy it nonetheless. I did have every intention of doing some reply reviews, but since it's been some time, I'll just get this chapter up instead. But I'm glad everyone seemed on board with the reveal and how it all was handled. Something fun to share...many thanks to Shadow830 (Marie) for creating an awesome banner for this story. Go check it out...the link is on my profile page. :-D Also, I just wanted to say that my heart goes out to everyone that has been affected by the crazy tornadoes and storms in the southern U.S. My area was lucky but others were not. While I don't really have the extra time to offer up a story for auction as with the Japan fundraiser (and by the way, look for the beginnings of that story hopefully soon), I will do this. I will donate $1 for every review submitted on this chapter by May 10th to the relief efforts in the south. So, read on and hit that lovely review button and you'll make me smile and we'll do something good. :-) Thanks! -Mel

* * *

The next morning, as they got breakfast and checked out, they didn't see Katherine again. As the bus pulled out of Pescara, they didn't look back either. Of course, there was nothing wrong with the city itself but it was still nice to be moving on.

After about an hour and a half, the group arrived in Petriolo and walked from the bus through the woods along the river Farma to the Petriolo Thermal Baths. There, they saw hot water gushing from the rocks and white steam rising from the pale blue of the baths. People were wading and lounging in different areas of the rocks and the baths and Troy, Gabriella, and the rest of their tour group joined them.

"This is a little bit nicer than Hell was," Gabriella remarked, running her hands along the top of the steaming water surrounding her.

"It's a lot nicer than Hell was," Troy said with a grin, reaching for her under the water and pulling her closer to him, enjoying the way the heat was making her skin flush.

"And why is that?" Gabriella asked teasingly, anticipating his answer.

"Because back in those caves, I wanted to feel your legs wrapped around me..."

Gabriella raised her eyebrows at him and her lips curved seductively.

"And here, now, I can," he said, looking at her devilishly as his hands swiftly gripped the back of her thighs and scooped them up, bringing them around his hips.

Laughing, Gabriella's arms flew up around his neck to keep herself from falling backwards into the water. "I guess that is an improvement."

"Oh, it definitely is," Troy said huskily, his hands sliding upward to caress her backside.

"Don't get any ideas, signore."

"Not sure what you mean, signorina," he said, bending his knees and lowering them further into the water so that the warmth now engulfed him from the shoulders down and her from the neck down.

"Sure you aren't. But I mean it. We're only a few feet away from the others."

"There are others here?" Troy teased, a sparkle in his eye as he brought his face closer to hers.

Gabriella shook her head at him but couldn't contain the pleased smile on her face.

"Relax," he said in a lower tone. "I just want to kiss my girlfriend."

Her lips curved even further at the title. Troy's curved as well as he brought them down to meet hers in a slow kiss.

"It's just you and me, Montez," Troy said softly as he released her lips, and she knew he wasn't just referring to where they stood physically, but to where their relationship stood.

"Troy! Can you answer a question for us?" Marci Richardson called.

Gabriella tried to stifle her giggles at the look on Troy's face. "Be right there!" he turned and called over his shoulder before turning back to Gabriella. "You, me, and our...tour family," Troy said with a sigh. "Sorry," he continued, rubbing his nose against hers lightly.

"It's okay...go," she assured him. "The question could be earth-shattering," she added lightly with a wink, seeing him roll his eyes at her. She let her feet touch the ground again and slid her arms from him, watching as he smiled at her and then turned to swim over to where the Richardsons were standing, waiting on him. She saw them ask their question and saw him start to answer confidently and she felt a bit of pride just watching him. She sank further down into the steaming water and let it soothe her body further. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the feel of it. Her quiet moment was interrupted by the sound of her friend's voice.

"Is it even safe for me to come over here?" Jennifer asked skeptically.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Gabriella asked, opening her eyes and focusing on her friend.

"Umm, you and lover boy were over here heating the water up further."

"We were just kissing."

"Uh huh."

"We were."

"Sure."

Gabriella rolled her eyes at her friend. "If it was that quick, I'd be kind of disappointed."

Jennifer grinned. She believed her friend but just liked giving her a hard time. "Well, you certainly haven't seemed that."

Gabriella averted her eyes and blushed slightly. It was an interesting thing having a new relationship blossom under the watchful eyes of a busload of people.

"So, more than just fun?" Jennifer asked, speaking again.

Gabriella stared at Troy in the distance for a minute before turning to look her friend in the eyes. "Yeah, definitely more."

"And how do you feel about that?"

"I..." Gabriella thought for a moment. "Helpless."

Jennifer smiled. "Meaning..."

"Meaning I'm in love with him and I'm not sure I could've stopped that from happening if I'd tried, but I don't know if that is going to end up being the best thing to happen in my life or end up leaving me broken-hearted or maybe both."

"I'm sure Troy's feeling the same way."

"I know, but what do we do?"

"I wish I had an answer for you, but I think only you two can figure that out."

Gabriella nodded, sighing. "How are you handling it right now? I mean, being this far from David for a month?"

Jennifer's mind drifted for a moment to her fiance. "Of course I miss him, but we've been in touch the whole time with calls and email and Skype. So, that helps. And I just think about the next time I'll see him and how great that's going to be to be back in his arms. But I know this is a finite kind of thing. I don't know how I'd feel about it if I were doing it repeatedly."

"Yeah," Gabriella said, thinking about the times she'd spent between seeing Michael. That had only been a week or so apart at a time, at the most a few weeks. If she and Troy traveled between Chicago and Italy, would they see each other a few times a year? Would the other communication in between visits be enough?

"Sorry. I didn't mean to come over here and be a downer," Jennifer apologized.

"No, it's okay. It's not like I haven't been thinking about it anyway," Gabriella assured.

"On a happier note though, you fell in love in the country associated with love. They should make a movie about you. Maybe they will after your kick ass article comes out."

Gabriella laughed, shaking her head. "I'm not sure I'd want a movie made about my life."

"Oh, come on. I can think of some great actresses to play me."

"Oh, you can, can you?"

"Yep, and maybe some up and coming hot young Disney stars can play you two."

Gabriella looked skeptical.

"Nah, you're right. You two aren't very Disney."

Gabriella laughed again. "Shut up."

"Or maybe you are...those kids are never as innocent as they seem."

"You...have a wild imagination."

"I have fabulous ideas. Case in point, Mr. More Than Fun over there."

Gabriella grinned. "I have a fabulous idea. Let's go get dried off so we don't have to walk back to the bus completely soggy."

Jennifer grinned as well. "That is a good idea," she said, following her friend as they made their way out of the water.

* * *

After drying off and heading back to the bus, the group sat through a two hour drive and arrived in Ravenna, where they ate lunch and saw the St. Francis Basilica and Dante's tomb. Then, they drove about 40 minutes to Bologna, their resting stop for the night.

In Bologna, they saw the famous Two Towers, the landmark of the city. They also visited Piazza Maggiore and the University of Bologna, the oldest existing university in Europe, founded in 1088. Eventually, the group separated to either explore the city further or relax at the hotel.

* * *

That evening, Gabriella got ready, a bit nervously, to go meet Troy's friends. She could tell Zio and his family were important to Troy and she wanted to make a good impression.

"They're going to love you, Gabriella," Troy whispered in her ear reassuringly as they stood outside the front door of his friends' house and rang the bell. "Just like I do," he finished, earning a sweet smile from the woman at his side.

"Troy!" a friendly-looking Italian man of average height with dark hair and olive skin greeted as he opened the door. Gabriella watched as he and Troy gave each other the typical manly backslapping hug and then she saw that Troy's friend had turned his attention to her.

"And you must be Gabriella," he said with a warm smile, leaning in and pleasantly surprising her with a welcoming hug as well. "I'm Zio. It's great to meet you."

"It's wonderful to meet you too," she returned, seeing his grin widen.

"Please come on in. Anna's excited to see you both too and watch out, Troy...Mila has been talking about playing horsey with you all day."

Troy laughed and, with his hand at the small of her back, gently guided Gabriella inside to follow Zio to the living area where a pretty dark-haired woman sat holding an infant in her arms and instructing her oldest daughter not to pounce on Troy the minute she saw him, an instruction which obviously fell on deaf ears as the little girl ran over and Troy's hand left Gabriella's back as he reached down and scooped up his young friend, greeting her happily.

"Sorry about that," the woman apologized, standing and walking toward them. "Hey, Troy," she greeted, leaning forward to give him a kiss on the cheek as he did the same with her, both with their arms full. "Hi Gabriella," she greeted with a smile. "I'm Anna and I'm sorry to say that you have a little bit of competition in this house," she joked, tilting her head to indicate her older daughter, who was now excitedly telling Troy something in Italian, which had him nodding and smiling back at her. "Mila, say hi to Gabriella."

"Hi Garella," Mila offered, turning her head from Troy to send a quick smile toward the pretty new woman.

Troy looked amused by Mila's pronunciation, as he smiled over at her and then back down at the little girl.

"Hi Mila," Gabriella replied with a warm smile. Then she turned to face Anna again. "That's okay. I don't mind losing his attention to such a worthy opponent," she joked back, earning a further smile and nod from Anna. "It's very nice to meet you. Thank you for allowing me to join you tonight."

"Oh, certainly," Anna responded, with Zio adding, "We're nosy. We have to check you out of course."

"Oh, stop," Anna scolded her husband lightly, backhanding his arm to punctuate the point. "Don't make her feel weird."

"No, it's okay," Gabriella assured them both. "I completely understand."

Anna lifted one of her shoulders apologetically. "It's just, well, we haven't gotten to meet anyone else since..." Glancing at her daughter to see that she was now looking curiously back at her, she chose her words carefully. "...the one who wasn't very nice."

Gabriella nodded her understanding. "I got to meet her yesterday and I fervently hope that I bear no similarities other than Troy."

Zio's and Anna's eyes widened at this. "Well, that must have been interesting. We'll have to chat about that a bit later. But for now, we should probably go grab a seat in the dining room. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes," Anna said.

"Can I help you with anything?" Gabriella offered.

"Sure, that would be great. Follow me, and guys, see that Mila gets washed up before eating, please."

"You heard your mom," Troy said. "Let's go splash the dirt off you."

"Hey," Anna called back warningly. "I don't expect her to come back looking like a wet dog, Troy."

"Oh, but she's much cuter than a dog," Troy teased.

"Troooyy," Anna said in a mock threatening tone.

"Si, Anna. Dry, clean, hungry girl. Got it," Troy said, flipping Mila into a flying position and running down the hall. Zio walked behind them, grinning.

Anna rolled her eyes good-naturally as she heard her daughter's squeals fade away. She turned and Gabriella followed her to the kitchen, smiling to herself as she listened to the squeals too and thought about how fun it was to see how Troy was with Mila.

Once inside the kitchen, Anna turned back to Gabriella. "Do you mind holding Carina while I get the food out of the oven?"

"No, not at all," Gabriella answered, accepting the transfer of the baby girl into her arms. "She's beautiful," she complimented, smiling down at the tiny, sweet face below her own.

"Thank you," Anna said, retrieving potholders and opening the oven door. "She's been a pretty easy baby so far, nothing like her older sister. She was never a fan of sleep...still isn't!"

"Oh my."

"Yes, it's much fun," Anna said wryly, pulling the pan from the oven and placing it atop the stove. But then her face softened once more as she turned to look at Gabriella and Carina again. "It really is though. Zio and I...our lives are just even more full now and the girls bring us a lot of joy."

"I'm sure they do," Gabriella responded, holding one of Carina's tiny hands with her fingers. "Carina's one month old, right?"

"Mmmhmm, as of yesterday."

Gabriella looked up at the other woman again. "You look great," she complimented, seeing Anna's lips curve before she turned her head a bit shyly and focused on fixing up plates for everyone.

"That's very kind of you, Gabriella. I don't feel quite like myself yet but I'm getting there. Thank you."

"Sure. I mean it. How has Mila liked being an older sister?"

"Oh, she's been pretty great about it. She's been fascinated. She does wrinkle her nose at diaper changes and when Carina cries sometimes though, since she doesn't remember that was her four years ago. Mostly, she's proud of her new role though. And she's been good about sharing the attention but I think that's one reason she was particularly excited to see Troy tonight."

"He seems really good with her."

Anna smiled. "He is. They were fast friends from the start." She paused before asking, "Do you want children someday?"

Gabriella nodded and smiled.

"Well, it's an adventure but entirely worth it," Anna said with a grin. "Let's go on in to the dining room and see if they've gone swimming with Mila."

Gabriella laughed and moved in that direction, Anna following her and carrying some plates. When they entered the room, they saw the guys sitting at the table with Mila, grinning up at them, obviously proud of themselves. Mila didn't look much worse for wear other than a few wet spots on her dress. The men rose then and offered to carry in more of the food. Zio went with Anna to do so and they waved Troy back, telling him to just relax. Troy looked over at Gabriella standing there holding baby Carina and he sent her a smile that warmed her. Then, he turned as Mila said his name and asked him a question. Was it too crazy to think this could be them one day? Gabriella wondered. As Troy heard the baby start to let out some soft cries and heard Gabriella soothing her, similar thoughts crossed his mind.

When Zio and Anna returned, Zio retrieved Carina from Gabriella's arms and held her in his own as they all sat down to eat. They enjoyed the meal and enjoyed talking some more. Gabriella answered questions and shared more about herself and she got to hear some fun stories about Troy and Zio when they were younger and running around Montalcino.

After dinner, Anna excused herself briefly to nurse the baby and Zio and Gabriella talked while watching and laughing at Troy down on all fours, giving Mila horsey rides.

"So, you and Troy, it's serious, no?"

Gabriella smiled over at him. "Yes. Is that crazy after only three weeks?"

"Eh, well, I fell in love with him after only a day," Zio joked, winking at her, and making her laugh. Then, he said more seriously, "I don't think it's crazy. I think sometimes the heart just knows what it wants."

Gabriella nodded at him, silently agreeing.

"He seems really happy now and we're happy seeing that...but have you thought about what happens when the tour is over?" Zio asked carefully.

Gabriella felt her stomach clench. "Yes and no. I think we've been trying to live in the moment and enjoy our time together but we know that we're on a countdown at this point."

"Do you see this lasting?" The question was asked kindly, honestly.

"I want it to."

Zio studied her thoughtfully. He had had a similar conversation with Troy earlier and had basically heard the same things. "It's understandable. I don't envy you two your situation. It's not an easy one...but, it's not an impossible one either. You two will decide possible versus not possible."

Gabriella looked over at Troy again, laughing and being carefree. It was not pleasant thinking about having to put that aside and considering more daunting things, though she knew it was necessary.

"Gabriella," Zio said, gaining her attention once again. "I think you are good for each other. Just...talk to each other...soon. Figure this out, okay?"

"We will," she said, giving him a small smile. "Thank you."

Anna and Carina returned and Anna pointed out that it was time for Mila to get ready for bed. The little girl unhappily complied, with the promise that Troy and Gabriella might be willing to tell her a bedtime story.

"Maybe you can tell her about the first time you met," Anna suggested.

Troy and Gabriella looked at each other and laughed. "Umm, that might not be the best story," Troy said.

After a moment of thought, Gabriella said, "I have one in mind."

After Anna and Zio had tucked Mila into bed and said their goodnights, they left Troy and Gabriella kneeling on either side of her bed.

"You love horses, right Mila?" Gabriella asked sweetly.

"Yes," the little girl answered enthusiastically.

"Well, Troy and I got to ride all around Rome pulled in a carriage by a beautiful brown horse."

Troy looked over at her with amusement clearly written on his face. She fought the blush that threatened to rise on her cheeks and returned her attention to Mila.

"You did?"

"We did," Troy confirmed.

They went on to tell her about seeing the city and about how nice the horse was, even letting them pet him. Mila seemed pleased hearing of their adventure but soon yawned, worn out from her day.

"Will you come back and visit me again, Garella?" she asked sleepily.

Gabriella felt the tug on her heartstrings as she answered. "I'd like that a lot, Mila."

The little girl seemed pleased with the answer that wasn't entirely an answer, leaning up and planting a kiss on Gabriella's cheek before turning and doing the same with Troy.

"Ti amo, bella Mila," Troy said softly, placing his own light kiss on her forehead as she lay back down and snuggled up further under her covers.

"Buonanotte," Gabriella whispered, kissing her there as well before rising with Troy and exiting the room.

Pulling the door mostly shut, they started to walk back down the hallway. "Interesting story choice there, Montez," Troy teased.

"I wasn't going to tell her the whole story," Gabriella shot back, rolling her eyes.

Grinning, Troy leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Maybe you could tell me the rest of that story later."

Feeling warmed from the inside out, Gabriella nodded, playfully whispering "Maybe" in response.

Looking along the walls, she turned to Troy. "These are all photos you did?" she asked thoughtfully.

Troy nodded.

"And the ones I saw in the other rooms?"

He nodded again.

"They're beautiful, Troy. The way you've captured the amazing family life they have...it's so special. You should be proud of your work."

"Thank you," he said simply, very pleased she liked what she'd seen.

Leaning upward briefly, she placed a light kiss on his lips and then pulled away smiling before walking with him the rest of the way back to his friends.

Back in the living area, the four adults enjoyed some drinks and talked briefly about the Katherine encounter from the day before, among other topics. Troy had his turn holding Carina and she slept peacefully in his arms, causing Anna to comment that Troy would make a great father one day and Zio to proclaim that he and Anna obviously should have used this night as a date night instead of one for entertaining, since they obviously had two great sitters right there. Troy and Gabriella smiled and she made a mental freeze-frame of him sitting there, holding the infant. It stirred hopeful feelings within her that made her question what she would be willing to do to keep him.

When it was finally time to leave, Gabriella was sad to go. She had enjoyed the company of Troy's good friends and had loved seeing him in his element around them. She didn't know if she'd be seeing them again, but she fervently hoped so. They all hugged and kissed goodbye and Troy led Gabriella the few blocks back to the hotel in which they were staying.

"I was right. They totally loved you," he said, squeezing her hand in his.

She smiled softly, enjoying the feel of it and his sweet words. "They're great, Troy. I'm glad you have such great friends."

"So am I. I'm glad you liked them, because they're important to me too."

Gabriella glanced over at him, understanding the "too" in his statement and feeling warmed by it, but also feeling uncertain because she saw the ties he had here to family and friends, ties she also had...over 4,000 miles away.

They walked the rest of the way back to the hotel in thoughtful silence. Once there, they ran into Jen and Jo and hung out with them for a while in the hotel bar, a happy distraction. As they went to sleep that night, Troy sensed the extra quiet that had taken over Gabriella. He also sensed that she didn't want to talk about it just then. He suspected the reason for her mood but he didn't feel like going there just then either. So, instead, he curled up behind her, one hand splayed across her stomach, and buried his head in the scent of her hair as he fell asleep. Gabriella lay awake for much longer, just memorizing the feel of him.

* * *

The next day found them heading to Venice after visiting a few more Bologna landmarks. The bus had to be parked just outside of the city and the group had to take vaporetti (water buses) to their hotel. Once checked in, they set out to explore, with Troy first showing them the famed St. Mark's Square with its imposing Basilica and Campanile and adjacent Palazzo Ducale (The Doge's Palace). This took several hours, after which they rested a while as they had lunch. Following lunch, he showed them the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and Santa Maria della Salute, the church dedicated to the Virgin Mary to show Venetians' gratitude for helping to see them through the plague, or Black Death.

Late in the afternoon, they found themselves exploring the Rialto Bridge, the oldest pedestrian bridge crossing the Grand Canal. Gabriella was dragging Troy through the various little shops, hoping to find an appropriate gift she could give to his mother for her birthday. Troy had told her the gloves she'd helped him choose earlier in the trip could be from both of them, but she was still hoping to find an additional gift. In one of the jewelry shops, Gabriella had wandered off toward a back corner and asked Troy to see if anything jumped out at him from the front displays.

"Planning to get one of those for our girl?"

Troy turned to see Jennifer standing next to him staring down into the display case at a line of beautiful diamond rings. "It's a little early for that, don't you think?"

"Doesn't matter what I think...matters what you think."

Troy didn't answer her, simply staring at the sparkling jewels below.

"You don't have to put a ring on her finger, Troy...and no, I don't think she's expecting one, but you should think about whether or not you'd want to in the future."

Troy turned his head and his eyes met those of Gabriella's no nonsense friend. "I do think about that."

"Good. Because if you don't see that happening, don't lead her on. And if you do see it in your future, then make sure she stays in your life so you can reach that future."

"Anything else?" Troy asked, one corner of his lips lifting slightly.

Jennifer's pink lips lifted into a small smile in return. "Her ring size is 5...that doesn't seem likely to change in the future."

"Whatever will we do without you?"

"Oh, I wouldn't think of depriving you two of me. I'm not that easy to get rid of," she said with a wink, turning and walking out of the store.

Troy shook his head, smiling after her, and then he returned his attention to the display below him, thinking about what Jennifer had said.

* * *

As evening began to settle in over the city, Troy and Gabriella boarded a gondola set only for two. Troy had known Gabriella would want to get in the gondola experience that Venice was known for but figured she might as well get the best of the experience. The more typical experience involved six tourists sharing a boat, oohing and aahing together as their gondolier maneuvered through the congestion of other gondolas. Troy couldn't do too much about the congested aspect of the waterways other than to go when less folks might be willing to pay the higher evening prices and to ask that the gondolier also traveled some of the back canals which were less often used. But he could arrange for the gondola to only hold the two of them plus the gondolier and he could make sure the gondolier had plans to wear the full traditional garb, including the hat that many gondoliers chose not to wear, and that he planned to provide full hospitality in the way of sharing facts about the area and yes, singing too.

So, there they found themselves, out on the Grand Canal and, intermittently, the quieter back canals, being entertained and informed by their jovial gondolier. Looking over at the woman under his arm, Troy could see that she was enjoying the experience a great deal.

"We are now approaching the Bridge of Sighs," the gondolier announced. The bridge is made of white limestone and its windows have stone bars. It was built in 1602 to connect the old prisons to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. Lord Byron gave it its famous name in the 19th century from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice out the windows before being taken down to their cells."

"That's kind of sad," Gabriella remarked, "but poetic."

"Ah, but Signorina, it is not all sadness surrounding this bridge," the gondolier assured.

"No?" Gabriella asked.

"No. It is also a bridge for lovers, such as yourselves."

Gabriella blushed slightly, her eyes meeting Troy's. "Why is that?"

Troy gave her a half shrug and an innocent smile. He didn't know all of Venice's legends, particularly not those told from the water.

"It is good luck to kiss beneath it at sunset," the gondolier answered, grinning back at them as he swept his arm up and around them to indicate the sun's descent and changing light all around them.

Gabriella laughed. "Of course it is!"

The gondolier turned his head slyly to face forward once more as they began to glide beneath the bridge. Troy and Gabriella smiled at each other before connecting their lips, and, as was generally the case when they kissed, the rest of the world fell away for the duration. Having glided out from under the bridge, they pulled back and smiled at each other once more. Gabriella willed her dreamy bubble not to burst.

Having given them sufficient time, the gondolier spoke up again. "The local legend says that lovers who kiss on a gondola at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs will be granted everlasting love and bliss and will be in love and happily married for the rest of their lives." This information was met with silence and he looked back to see two pairs of rounded eyes staring at each other and then at him. He turned back around again, chuckling to himself. Oh, how he loved this job sometimes.

* * *

Returning to their hotel, they dined at its terrace restaurant overlooking the water. They had tried to laugh off the gondolier's bridge legend and enjoy the rest of their water tour. Troy had continued to hold her to him and it was really a rather romantic setting with the bright light of the sun's last rays touching on the water and the gondolier serenading them with Italian love songs. But their minds had drifted toward the future again, something that seemed unstoppable at this point.

"Well, what did you think of your first gondola ride?" Troy asked, hoping to broach the topic.

"It was great, Troy. Thank you. Really beautiful and memorable."

Troy smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Our gondolier was pretty fun."

"Oh, yeah. I think he enjoys his job. He was really entertaining and sweet."

"Mmmhmm...and knowledgeable."

Gabriella gave him a small smile. "Yeah, it's always fun to hear the quirky local tales and legends."

"Do you believe in them?"

"Well, I...they're fun, but I don't know if there's any evidence to make me believe in them."

"Maybe the fact that they withstand the test of time is the evidence or maybe they last because no one wants to shoot them down. Still, they make you wonder...me anyway, but this country has hold of me in that kind of way, so maybe it's just me."

"No, they...can make you wonder."

After eating in silence for a few more moments, Gabriella spoke again. "This country does have a hold of you, Troy. Your family's here and you have good friends and, I think, a job you like. You love Italy and the vineyard and...well, you have a life here."

Troy nodded slowly, not able to deny anything she'd said.

"I think I'm in that life now...here...but...maybe that's all we get. Maybe we get the kiss on the gondola at sunset but maybe not the rest of it."

"Gabriella..."

Gabriella set down her fork and napkin, not feeling particularly hungry. "I think...I'm going to...I think I'd like to be alone," she said, struggling with her words and her emotions as she stood, turned, and walked from the table.

Troy sat there stunned by the turn of the conversation for a moment, before setting his own napkin down and standing, intent on following her. He was momentarily waylaid as Stephanie and her friend, Jasmine, stepped in front of him.

"Baby, she's really not worth it," Stephanie said, placing her hand suggestively on his chest. "Why don't you hang out with us and have some fun again while you have the chance?"

Troy's eyes narrowed in irritation. "She's entirely worth it," he said with conviction, pushing past them and faintly hearing their resulting sounds of disgust and frustration as he made his way toward the elevators. He saw one just closing with Gabriella in it and he bolted into the next open one, pressing forcefully on the button for their floor. Once there, he ran down the hall and stopped her just as she was pushing the door to her room closed.

"Troy?" she exclaimed, taken by surprise at his sudden appearance.

"There you go with your whole walking away from me thing again, Montez," he said, sliding into the room past her and shutting the door himself.

Gabriella just stared at him for a moment. "Because I needed time alone," she reiterated.

"So you could talk yourself out of us?" Troy shot back.

Gabriella started to shake her head but stopped; she couldn't deny that that was where her mind was leading her.

"Well, I can't let you do that, babe," Troy said, his voice husky, as he moved closer to her.

"Troy, stop," Gabriella protested, backing up and running into the solid wall of the room's entryway. "You can't just kiss me and make it all better."

"And you can't just give up on me because what some gondolier said scared you," Troy argued back, his body pressing hers further into the wall as he muffled any response by kissing her.

As his mouth covered hers, effectively halting her response, her initial reaction was to try to push him away. He was using his own allure against her and that wasn't fair and he wasn't helping her to be logical and sensible about their situation at all.

Troy was half-amused and half-hurt that she was fighting him. But he knew she was letting her head pull her away from him and that was something he just couldn't let happen, so he needed to get her out of her head for a minute. That was really all he'd intended. But the more she fought, the more he fought to overwhelm her senses.

Damn him and his insistent tongue and his hard body pressed against her! Why couldn't he have just let her have time to herself? It was impossible to think of giving him up when he was kissing her like this.

He felt her body and her mouth finally yield to him and it spurred him on further. He poured himself into the kiss. This woman meant the world to him and she had to know that. And, he was not at all inclined to let her go.

Soon, Gabriella found her own tongue meeting his stroke for stroke and her traitorous hands were now trying to pull him even closer to her. She needed him now and she didn't care about the rest.

As her small hands started to tug upward on his shirt, he pulled back just long enough for her to tug it up over his head and toss it away. Then, his lips were on hers again, not giving her time to change her mind. She moaned into the kiss as his hands captured her breasts and then slid down over her thighs.

She slid her hands around his waist and down over his ass, one hand dropping into his pocket and retrieving his wallet. She used both hands to find what she needed within and then tossed it aside, next making quick work of his belt as she felt his fingers trailing her underwear down her legs. Having pulled his zipper down, she had to stop her own actions and just cling to him to keep herself upright as his fingers found her wetness and pushed her arousal further. "Troy," she urged breathlessly, returning to her prior actions and pushing his pants and boxers down.

Troy didn't need a written invitation. He backed up enough to pull her dress up over her head and waited as she rolled the condom she had retrieved onto him before pressing her back into the wall and lifting her thighs up so that she could wrap them around him. Holding her desire-filled eyes with his own, he plunged into her in one long stroke, the sensation of the movement making them both cry out.

"I'm in this, Gabriella," Troy said, his voice raw as he pulled back and thrust into her again.

Gabriella's mouth parted but all that came out was unintelligible sound as Troy pushed into her depths again.

"I'm in you," he continued, stopping and placing his hand over her heart and staring intensely into her eyes.

"And you're in me," he said, placing one of her hands against his swiftly pounding heart.

Gabriella choked on a sob that came from somewhere deep within her as she felt the intensity and truth within his words.

"And you don't get to push me away...not if I have anything to say about it."

Troy's hand came back down to support her weight and his mouth came down to cover hers. His kiss and his body told her he meant what he said. She clung to him, felt the delicious friction of their bodies, took all that he was giving her. She gave herself over to it, crying out with both pleasure and anguish.

Troy gave of himself to the point of exhaustion and as he rocked into her one final time, he buried his head in her neck and grunted as his release shook his body and hers with it. He stayed like that for several moments after, feeling his racing heartbeats mingling with her own, his foggy mind trying to distinguish his ragged breaths from hers. When he lifted his head and looked upon her face once more, he saw her eyes slowly open to meet his and he saw the few tear stains on her flushed cheeks. He lowered her gently to the ground once more, slipping from her body, and then he brought a hand up, gently wiping at the tear marks with his thumb before leaning in and placing his lips softly against those same spots.

Gabriella fought the tears from coming again but her pent up fears and sadness were getting the best of her. She felt Troy's breathing hitch as he sensed a few new tears falling. And then he proceeded to kiss those away too, before pulling back and staring into her eyes with concern. She tried to offer him a small smile and, after fully stepping out of his pants and shoes and discarding the condom hastily, he tugged her gently toward the bed where they lay down and he held her to him.

"I'm sorry, Gabriella, if I hurt you," he whispered hoarsely.

She shook her head. "You didn't. Really, quite the opposite."

Troy pulled his head back and studied her for a few moments. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Troy was silent for another moment. "We should talk."

Gabriella nodded, her eyes holding his.

With those dark, shiny pools staring back at him, Troy couldn't resist bringing his lips back to hers for an unhurried tender kiss. She melted into it and he found himself just holding her and kissing her for an unknown amount of time. They would talk. He would insist on it. But he found that they also communicated much to each other without the use of words. And he didn't want to forsake one minute of this type of communication either, especially if he might have to live without it for a time.

* * *

A while later, they found themselves showered, in night clothes, and sitting on the bed together eating food Troy had ordered from room service since neither of them had exactly finished their dinner earlier.

"What you said earlier," Troy began, "is true. I do have a life that is currently here but you are in that life now. And I'd like to keep it that way. I don't know what that means, but...I don't want to lose you, Gabriella."

Gabriella looked at him lovingly. "I don't want to lose you, either."

A smile curved Troy's lips. "Well, that's settled then."

"Troy..."

"Okay, I know, I know, it isn't simple, but deciding we want to make it work...well, that part seems settled, right?"

"Yes...but how do we make it work?"

Both fell silent for several moments, leaving Gabriella's question hanging in the air.

"Do you have to leave next weekend?"

"I...it's all booked and nonrefundable and my editor, Nancy, is expecting me. And Shar is expecting me too. Her wedding is in a month and I'm her maid of honor."

"Okay...so the answer is kind of yes," Troy surmised.

"Yeah," Gabriella confirmed quietly.

"I start teaching a workshop in Florence in two weeks and I'm shooting a wedding in Rome in three."

"When do you start teaching at the college again?"

"In two months."

Gabriella sat staring down at the fork she was twirling slowly through her pasta. She mentally saw herself flipping through her calendar pages back in her apartment, trying to find one that would be the next month she'd get to be with him.

"Hey," Troy said softly, waiting until she lifted her eyes to look at him again. "I know it stinks that we both have these other responsibilities right now, but will you do the long distance thing with me? Not forever, I mean, but enough for us to see where this leads and figure things out more?"

Gabriella looked into those hopeful blue eyes, loving eyes. She didn't want to lose him and she didn't have a better solution right now. At least what he was saying to her was that he wanted to figure things out and that he wanted this to work. It just might take some time and unfortunate separation. "Yes," she responded. How could her answer be anything else?

Troy's face lit up with a smile and he set his food down hastily, leaning toward her, his intention clear.

"Troy...the food," Gabriella cautioned.

"Well, then don't get too excited and knock it over, Montez," he teased her with a devilish grin before pulling her face to his and kissing her happily.

Gabriella giggled as he pulled away. "Besides, that's twice today I have chosen you over food. You should be happy," he teased further, wiggling his eyebrows up and down at her. This just made Gabriella laugh again, a delightful sound to Troy's ears. He didn't want it to be all doom and gloom between them. He didn't like thinking about being separated from her anymore than she did, but there'd be time for sadness. Right now, he wanted their happiness to continue. Grinning, he sat back once more and resumed eating his food and, eyeing him with her own grin, Gabriella did the same.

* * *

Later, as they lay in the dark room, curled up against one another, Troy spoke softly against her ear. "Remember Collodi and Villa Garzoni?" he asked.

"Yes, of course."

"Well, you know we have the luck from the maze there too."

Gabriella smiled. "I should have let you drag me off into the woods then."

Troy chuckled. "Yes, you should have but you're distracting me from my point."

"Which is?"

"I believe in that stuff. I think we can work together and accomplish anything, be it a maze or some miles between us."

Gabriella swallowed, taking this in.

"And I think there are a lot more sunsets in our future too," Troy continued.

"So, you think this relationship will work based on the wisdom of a love gardener and a gondolier?" Gabriella asked, attempting to keep her voice light and humored.

Troy squeezed her middle playfully for a moment and placed a kiss against her neck. "Yes...and based on how we feel about each other and how this feels between us," he said quietly but confidently, running his fingers up and down her arm comfortingly.

Gabriella smiled into the darkness. "Well, that...sounds very wise to me," she whispered, turning her head so that she could feel his lips against hers once more before they went to sleep.


	26. Chapter 26

**Escape to Love Chapter 26**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-) I do not own Letters to Juliet either, naturally...well, not in the big, important way...I do own the Blu-ray. :-)

**TOUR INFO:** Days 22 & 23 (Sat & Sun)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I know, I know...I'm sorry. To sum it up quickly, I'm pregnant again and I have been _really_ sick. Really. I'm still battling that. We're really happy to be giving our son a little brother or sister, don't get me wrong. Pregnancy is just something that is apparently pretty hard on me. So, while I'm very happy to be presenting y'all with this chapter, I can't give you a timeframe for the next one. Of course, I hope for the best, so I hope it won't take as long as this one, but we'll see. Consequently, my workload has also doubled because my co-worker is on maternity leave now. So, just the brief explanation on the delay.

I want to thank everyone for the reviews on the last chapter. Of course, I always love them anyway, but I also thank you for contributing toward helping others. I did make a donation to the Red Cross based on the review count plus some extra. I hope all of you are staying safe and well.

And just thank you for your continued interest and for all of your support. I appreciate every review and every pm and every other message about this story and how it's touched you and how you need more of it (haha), etc. So, feel free to keep _reminding_ me between chapters if you like. ;-) Hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

After seeing a few more Venice sights the next morning, the group reboarded their bus and headed to Verona. After visiting several of the attractions there, they had slowed down to take in the local fare.

Gabriella had something other than food on her mind, however. She stood looking reverently over the wall in front of her. She had seen "Letters to Juliet" and she knew how this all worked, but still, standing here, she felt as though the place was truly Juliet's courtyard and that Juliet herself must simply be watching over all those below her balcony. She had been here a bit earlier with the rest of the group, but she had snuck back on her own. She didn't know if she was just being silly but somehow she felt drawn to write her own letter. Maybe there'd be some wisdom her Juliet could share with her once she was on a separate continent from the man she loved. So, she sat down, retrieved a pen and piece of paper from her bag and set about writing her short letter.

"Dear Juliet,

You must have wondered at times why it was your fate to fall in love with someone it seemed so difficult to be with. Albeit, my situation does not involve our families feuding, though I wonder if it will if this works out between us and one of us has to leave them far behind. And I should hope that no deaths would come about from our love for one another...although if Katherine, Luca, or Michael should be stricken with some nasty cases of bodily fungus, I wouldn't feel too sad. Anyway, what I'm saying is that I'm not trying to be overly dramatic about our situation, but I am scared. I never expected to fall in love on this trip and now that I have, I'm so happy and so conflicted all at once. Do I leave my family and friends, my country, probably my job too and move here to be with him, to see what kind of life we can have together? Do I ask him to do all of this instead? Is that fair at all knowing he has done it before for someone who didn't appreciate it as she should have? He deserves to have someone make that leap for him, but I don't know if I'm strong enough. Is there some happy medium I'm just missing? I don't know how to make this work, but how do I not make it work? I want this man in my life. I think he could be the one, my forever, my Romeo. I don't want it to end badly...I don't want it to end at all. So, please help, Juliet! If you have any advice to offer, I would love to receive it. Thank you for listening and thank you for being you!

Sincerely,

Gabriella Montez"

Gabriella re-read her letter, wiped at the few tears that had silently fallen on her face and onto the paper, checked to make sure she had included her return address, and then stood and approached the wall as others were doing. There, she tucked her letter into a crevice, not too far though...she certainly wanted an answer before 50 years had passed. Then, she took one more look around before heading back out to the street and across to the cafe where her group was currently eating lunch.

* * *

As the bus pulled into Milan a few hours later, Gabriella stared wide-eyed at the city around her. He lived here. He worked here. She needed to get a feel for this city. It was a city of business and banking and fashion and culture. It had more of a city feel than Rome and Florence, but not more than Chicago or New York. But its marriage of old and new still left it exhibiting the overall air of Italy, though perhaps a more sophisticated air than some areas.

Troy cautioned the group concerning a bracelet peddlers' scam as the bus pulled to a stop near the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuelle II. He explained that the Galleria had been built in 1865 so that shoppers could avoid street vendors and beggars. The group enjoyed some time first taking in the humbling beauty and enormity of the city's famous gothic cathedral at the Piazza del Duomo and then enjoyed time shopping and exploring the adjoining Galleria before exploring the connected Piazza della Scala. There, they saw the monument to Leonardo Da Vinci and the most popular opera house, the La Scala Theatre.

Following their sightseeing, the group checked into their hotel. Having free time until the next morning, Troy stole Gabriella away. He first took her to the Style Design College where he worked. As they walked down one of the school's corridors, they heard a young man's voice.

"Hey Professor Bolton! I didn't think you were teaching over Summer semester."

"I'm not, Mark. Just stopping in."

"Ah," Mark said, glancing at Gabriella with a smile. "Well, my showcase this Fall is going to be kick ass, you wait."

Troy chuckled. "I hope so. How have your summer courses been?"

"Decent. Took another fashion one but I think you were right. I don't think fashion photography is my calling."

"You have a talent for capturing meaningful interactions and relationships. Your series on the wedding and funeral processions in Assisi was impressive...impactful."

Gabriella could see the effect Troy's praise and approval was having on the young man. He looked ready to leap and hug her boyfriend.

"Thank you, Professor. That means so much coming from you. And that's what I'm thinking, that I want to explore more of that type of photography."

Troy looked thoughtful for a moment. "How would you like to third shoot on a wedding I'm doing in three weeks?"

Now, the young man's face was really lit up. "Seriously? That'd be awesome!"

"Don't get too excited. It'll be a long day and I might get pretty demanding."

Mark tried to compose himself and take on a more serious air. "I'm up for it, Professor Bolton, I promise. I would really like the opportunity."

Troy's smile returned. "Okay. Send me an email to remind me and I'll send you more details."

"Sure thing. I will go do that now. Thank you so much!"

Troy nodded. "Have a good evening, Mark."

"You too, Professor Bolton. See you soon!"

As the young man walked off in a happy daze, Troy pulled Gabriella further down the hall and into a lecture hall. Once inside, she looked up at him with pride and amusement. "You just made his entire summer, his entire year maybe."

"Stop," Troy said, shaking his head and brushing off the comment.

"No, I mean it, Troy. He was so excited."

"He has raw talent. He'll do a great job."

"And he'll learn a lot from you. Sounds like he already has too."

Troy shrugged. "I hope so. I don't like to think I'm just blowing out hot air up here."

Gabriella took in their surroundings. "So, this is where you teach?"

"One of the rooms. And of course we do a lot outside the classroom too."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. I'll take groups to different places to show them different things and spur on their creativity."

"I'll bet Professore Bolton's field trips are the best," Gabriella said, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Hush."

"No, I mean it. I've enjoyed all of our field trips."

Troy smirked back at her. "Well, you should feel privileged. I don't usually do them one on one."

"I do feel privileged. But I think I'm lacking in classroom learning," she said, looking around and sliding into a front row seat before staring back up at him patiently.

"I don't think you're lacking in anything."

"Smooth, professore, but I still want you to teach me something...photography-related."

Troy laughed at her pointed clarification. "Alright...class...let's talk about the rule of thirds..." Troy played along and gave her a mini lecture, enjoying the way she watched him all the while. Then, he led her next door to show her his office.

Gabriella looked around, seeing nothing unexpected from a professor's office and noting its neatness and simplicity. Then, with a mischievous grin, she pushed the door shut behind them and turned the lock. Troy watched her with amusement, one eyebrow raised.

"So, Professore, how might one go about earning some extra credit around here?" she purred, reaching down and starting to unbutton her blouse seductively.

Troy shook his head back and forth. "Sorry. I told you, remember? I don't grant that kind of extra credit."

Gabriella pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I remember. I just thought I might be an exception."

Troy thought about that for a moment. "If I make an exception for one person, then I might have to make exceptions for them all."

"Spoken like a true teacher...don't even think about it."

Troy's eyes sparkled as he moved closer to her. "I won't." He paused and then reached out, grabbing both sides of her unbuttoned blouse and pulling her closer to him. "You're more teacher than student anyway."

"Oh, really?"

"Mmmhmm."

"And what have I taught you?"

"That it's possible to find someone who's truly a perfect match for me. That love can feel stronger than I thought it could."

Gabriella stared up at him with wonder. He was almost too good to be true...but everything about him was true, and everything she felt for him was true. "You've taught me that too," she replied softly.

Troy leaned down and kissed her sweetly for several moments.

"Well, now I just feel a bit naughty, while you're all sweet and sincere over here," Gabriella said with a bit of chagrin.

Troy's lips curved upward. "Do you?" he teased, sliding his hands inside her shirt and up her sides. "Mmm...yes, you do."

Gabriella giggled at his antics. She giggled further as he lifted her up and plopped her bottom down on top of his desk. As he stood between her legs and slid his fingers into her hair, her giggling stopped. A feeling other than humor was taking over her.

Their lips met for a kiss that wasn't as sweet. "So...about this extra credit..." Troy began, sliding the sleeves of her blouse down her arms.

"Yes?" she asked expectantly, her eyes drifting from his down to his lips and back.

"The assignment's pretty straight forward," he continued, bringing his lips down to her neck and searing her there with the heat of his mouth.

Gabriella's eyes closed with pleasure as she listened to the words he continued to speak between kisses. "Just...enjoy...and try to keep quiet...so I don't get fired." As she heard and felt the husky chuckle that followed, the positives of Troy getting fired crossed Gabriella's mind, but she swiftly pushed those thoughts aside as selfish. She needed to focus on other things anyway...staying quiet in the midst of Troy's skilled loving wouldn't exactly be a simple assignment...

* * *

"Oh, geez. They so knew."

Troy shook his head and rolled his eyes at her.

"Seriously, Troy. You don't just..." Gabriella paused, lowering her voice. "...take me on your desk and then spring your friends on me right after."

Troy pulled her into his side as they continued walking. "First of all," he began with humor, speaking downward into her ear, "don't blame me for what happened on my desk. You started that."

Gabriella bit her lip. He was right of course. "I didn't know I was meeting your friends right afterward."

"Gabriella, what does it matter? I don't think they knew exactly what we'd just been doing, for the record. I do think they knew just how happy we've been making each other though. Isn't that what matters?"

"Wellll..."

"And they loved you."

Gabriella thought back over the pleasant dinner they had just shared with some of Troy's friends here, Emilio, Stefano, Perlita, and Rosa, the colleagues Troy had told her about back in Rome. Despite her own discomfort with what she knew they'd just been doing at Troy's workplace and that of his friends, she did feel like they all got along well and enjoyed each other's company. Hearing Troy confirm that she had indeed seemed to make a good impression soothed her and made her realize that her concerns were perhaps unfounded.

"Sorry. It was fun and I'm glad I met them. I'm being..."

"Adorable but silly."

Gabriella smiled up at him.

"And I'm glad you got to meet them too," Troy added.

They walked along in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the nighttime atmosphere of the city. "So, where to now?" Gabriella asked. She was a bit hopeful for a certain destination but only if Troy was comfortable taking her there.

"Can't you guess?" Troy said softly looking down at her.

* * *

Soon after, they found themselves entering an older brown building and ascending to its third floor. Troy pulled out a key and they moved toward the apartment to their left. Opening the door, he held it open and waited until Gabriella entered before turning and shutting it. Gabriella took slow steps in through the entryway, seeing an entrance to a small kitchen on her right. Passing that, she saw a small dining area also to her right and a living room to her left. She saw two short hallways, one straight ahead and one twisting behind the living area, which she presumed led to the bedrooms and bathrooms. Moving into the living room, she noticed the curtained doors leading out to the small terrace Troy had included in his earlier description. She was glad to see upon initial inspection that the place felt very much like Troy and didn't seem to have any remnants of or any feel of his ex.

"Have a seat. Do you want a drink?"

"Sure," she answered distractedly. She was busy taking in the photos hanging on the walls and the books on his bookshelf. Then, the book on his coffee table caught her eye. She reached for it and started to flip through it, confirming her suspicions. She took in the photos of the different American destinations, smiling in particular when she saw the photos of her own city. She felt Troy settle in beside her on the couch and saw him set their drinks on the table in front of them.

"This book is great, Troy."

"Yeah, Lief is brilliant."

"But you helped," she said, turning to give him a smile. "It's your accomplishment too."

"I'm proud that I was a part of it," Troy agreed, returning her smile. "It probably seems weird that it's just sitting right out here though, huh?"

Gabriella shook her head. "No. It's a book meant to be out for others to see."

Troy's lips curved again. "Well, it is nice to look through it from time to time for different reasons."

"Like?"

"It's great to be reminded of home. I mean, this is home too, but I've still spent much more of my lifetime in the U.S."

Gabriella nodded thoughtfully.

"And it just helps to remind me of where and how I started out and how fortunate I've been."

Gabriella's lips curved at his humility. It was very endearing. They sat looking through the book some more together, Troy recounting stories behind the photos and Gabriella listening and asking questions, entertained.

After talking some more and then seeing the rest of the apartment, Troy looked down at his watch.

"I guess we should head out," he announced.

"You've been away from your own place for weeks. Don't you want to stay here while we're in town?"

"I want to stay wherever you are...wherever you want to stay."

A smile formed on Gabriella's lips. Of course she loved his answer but she couldn't resist having a bit of fun with him. "Okay, Cream."

"Cream?"

"Yeah," she replied, moving closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm going to have to start calling you that."

"Why?" Troy asked suspiciously.

"Because you're so whipped, Bolton," Gabriella teased, a sparkle in her eyes.

"Ohhhh, I'll give you whipped," Troy threatened playfully, bending his knees, placing his hands under her bottom, and tossing her up over his shoulder. He then turned and walked down the hallway toward his bedroom, smacking her tush rhythmically as he went and hearing her giggle-filled protests the whole way. It soon became clear where they would be staying that night.

* * *

Early the next morning, Gabriella found Troy in the apartment's second bedroom, which he used as his home office. Troy looked up from the computer, observing her walking into the room wearing only his shirt from the night before.

"Now, why do you look so much better in that than I do?"

Gabriella gave him a warm smile. "Mmm, I don't know, must just be my color."

"Come here," Troy urged quietly and pulled her down onto his lap as she became near enough.

"Morning," she whispered sweetly.

"Morning." Troy held her eyes for a long moment and then brought his lips to hers.

"So, what are you working on?" Gabriella asked following their kiss.

"Mainly catching up on some emails and making sure a few client orders have gone through appropriately."

"Did Mark email you?"

"Yes, promptly."

"Told you you made his year. Did you email him back?"

"Yes," Troy answered with a smile. He sat staring at her lovingly for a few more moments, just enjoying this intimacy between them.

Gabriella could feel it too. There was something so natural and easy about moments like this between them.

"Do you wanna see some photos?" Troy asked.

"Yeah, if you want to show them to me, definitely." She watched Troy's hand on the computer mouse and watched as he opened some files.

"This is the couple whose wedding I'm shooting in a few weeks. These photos were done during their engagement shoot."

"They look so in love."

Troy nodded. "They're a great couple." Troy showed her a few more photos and then navigated to some other files, showing her other samples of his work, including some with more recognizable faces.

"You don't have to show me those if you don't want to."

"I want to," Troy said with a smile, which Gabriella returned, pleased that he trusted her enough to share these photos as well.

"Clooge, huh? I'm not sure if that file name's entirely hard to figure out."

"Well, I made some effort to disguise his real name. What would you suggest?"

"I don't know. I'll have to think about it and get back to you."

"Mmm, you do that. Who knows? If you impress me, maybe I'll hire you on as my office assistant."

She knew he was teasing but the idea of being part of Troy's amazing work certainly didn't sound unappealing. "But you'd only keep me in the office, huh?"

"Of course. Can't have George or any of the other Hollywood hunks stealing you away from me."

"I'm not very stealable."

"Glad to hear it." Given her declaration, Troy couldn't resist kissing her again. After his lips had lingered over hers for a long minute, he pulled back and reluctantly glanced at the clock on the computer.

"I know. We need to get over to the hotel," Gabriella surmised.

Troy nodded, confirming her statement and they slowly stood up and moved back to Troy's bedroom to get dressed. Gabriella figured she'd have just enough time to run up to her room at the hotel and swiftly shower and change into a new outfit and maybe grab a very quick breakfast before their group got started for the day. As they headed toward the front door, Gabriella looked back over the apartment. "Thank you for bringing me here, Troy. It means a lot."

Troy placed a finger beneath her chin and grinned down at her. "I intend to bring you back tonight," he said, seeing her lips curve upward and her smile reach her eyes before he leaned down and placed a light kiss on those lips.

* * *

"So, what did you think of today?" Troy asked as they entered the apartment again later that night, this time with a suitcase of items so they could do some laundry and to make the morning a bit less hectic for Gabriella.

"Um, gee, let's see...Da Vinci's Last Supper and the opera...totally mediocre day," Gabriella joked.

"Okay, okay, smart aleck. I'll take that as a two thumbs up."

"Way up."

"Well, good, because I'm sure this next part will pale in comparison."

"What? The part where you go do our laundry and I go put my feet up?"

"Very funny. Follow me."

Gabriella gave him a fake pout but followed him to the laundry room. Troy rolled the suitcase to a stop and then turned and lifted her up so that she was sitting on the dryer. "There, your feet are up. Now, sit there and supervise, lazy," he teased, earning a laugh from Gabriella. He then set the suitcase down flat on the floor and unzipped it. Gabriella reached over and started the water and located and added the detergent to the washer as Troy began to sort clothes into it. They chatted all the while about their day and their particular laundry preferences and when they'd first been taught how to do laundry and what kinds of chores they'd had as kids.

Their conversation moved to the kitchen, where they determined, with a mix of amusement and sobriety, that Troy would really need to do some shopping the following week once the tour was over. Settling on some not quite stale bagged cookies and some soda, they made their way to the living room. Having decided on a dvd to watch, they plopped down together on the couch to await their laundry. Troy's arm wrapped around her and her feet propped up on the coffee table next to his, Gabriella enjoyed their time together in more of a real-life setting. The buzzer going off on the washer and their need to get up and attend to their clothes only added to that realness.

* * *

Later that night, as they lay together in Troy's bed facing each other, holding hands, and talking quietly, Gabriella asked a question that had been on her mind, particularly since she'd gotten to be more a part of his life in Milan.

"Troy, what do you want for your future?"

The meaningful look Troy gave her in response to her question gave her goosebumps.

"I mean, do you want to keep doing a combination of teaching and shooting? Do you want to do all of one or the other?"

"I think I'd like to keep doing both...to some extent anyway. For a relationship...for a family, I'd certainly have my priorities in order though. I mean, what I do can be time consuming but it also allows me freedom to determine how much time I want to spend on it. Does that worry you?"

"I...maybe a little, but mainly I just wondered. You seem tremendously good at teaching, and comfortable with it, but I didn't know if it was really your passion or just your means for getting here and staying here."

"That's a good point. It started as just my means, but I've really grown to enjoy it. It doesn't have to necessarily be an all the time deal though. I enjoy teaching the seminars and workshops a good deal too."

"I'm not asking you to change what you're doing. I promise."

Troy stared back at her thoughtfully. "Why not? You can, you know."

Gabriella looked momentarily flustered. "Because...because it's only been three weeks, Troy. And I can't...disrespect the life you've built for yourself."

"You're not disrespecting it. You're in it. And I want to know what you think."

"I think...that I can't ask you to change or not ask you to change what I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't know everything you want. I know now that you'd like to keep teaching and shooting but that the way you balance the two with your personal life can be flexible. That's good to know. But what about where? You had this plan for your life before, but what about now? Do you want to stay in Milan? Do you want to live in Montalcino? Do you have any desire to live back in the states? Do you want to, I don't know, move to China?"

"I hear Mandarin isn't too easy to learn."

"Troy..."

"Gabriella...I...don't know everything...and I'll never admit I just said that." He saw her lips twitch at his joke and smiled at her. "I don't feel tied to a place. I love Italy. I love California. But I love places, plenty of them. I don't live for places though."

"Then, people. The people you love live here."

"Not all of them."

Quiet took over and Troy's words hung in the air.

"I might love Italy. I could love California," Gabriella said tentatively, a minute later.

Troy studied her. "What are you saying? Do you want me to ask you to stay?"

"I...I don't know. I don't know everything either," she said, offering him an apologetic smile.

"I'm confused, Gabriella."

"So am I."

"Well, what should we do then?"

Gabriella looked at him lovingly. It was simultaneously comforting and not comforting that he was confused too and didn't have any answers yet either. The truth was that she didn't know what she would say if he asked her to stay. She'd want to say yes, but she didn't know if she actually would. So much was at stake. And she didn't know if she could ask him to come with her. Three weeks. And she hadn't even met his parents yet, though she didn't know if that would make things more or less clear for her.

"Sleep. We should sleep."

"That's kind of a cop out."

Gabriella shook her head. "It's the truth. We're tired and we need sleep. Perhaps we'll dream up our answer," she offered with a small smile.

"I don't want to lose you..."

Gabriella reached out her hand and placed it on Troy's cheek. "I'm right here," she said softly.

Troy held her eyes for a few moments and then leaned forward to kiss her. Her statement was only reassuring in the moment. He really hoped that what they had wasn't just in the moment.


	27. Chapter 27

**Escape to Love Chapter 27**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-) I also don't own Rome Adventure, which inspired the tickling conversation in this chapter.

**TOUR INFO:** Days 24 & 25 (Mon. & Tues.)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Sorry again on the delay and thank you for your patience and for still reading! This is for Caroline - Happy Birthday! Hope you're having a fabulous day! Sorry the chapter's shorter. I had contemplated combining with some of what has been written for the next chapter, but I wanted to get some up for you. I will try to get more up before my new little guy arrives...we'll see. :)

* * *

Leaving the apartment the next morning, Gabriella wondered if she'd see it again. She wondered if it mattered. It was a place after all. Just a place. So, why were places such an important part of determining her future?

Troy loaded the bus up and spoke to the group about the day's itinerary but his heart wasn't in his role of tour guide. He sat down and made conversation with Gabriella, their friends, and several tour members, but he was distracted. He didn't know what he should do. He didn't know if they would figure more out before she left either. He hoped that seeing his family this weekend would help. He tried to cheer up and do his best by the people who didn't have so much weighing on their hearts and minds, who merely wanted to explore this beautiful country and make some more memories before heading back to their real lives.

The first stop of the day was Genoa, where the group visited the ancient lighthouse, La Lanterna; the monument to and home of Christopher Columbus; MuMA, the museum of the sea; and finally, the Genoa Aquarium, the largest aquarium in Italy and the second largest in Europe.

Troy and Gabriella had been enjoying seeing the different exhibits and Troy was excited to show her one of the more popular attractions at the aquarium. He led her over to the large pool of water that already had a good group of people leaning over its edges.

"Manta rays?" Gabriella asked, seeing the sign next to the pool that confirmed this at the same time that Troy did also.

"Yep. It's a touch pool. They like to be petted."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. Come on over. Just avoid touching the eyes and gills and you'll be fine."

Gabriella smiled and approached the edge of the pool, perching herself there next to Troy. Troy reached into the water and ran his fingers along one of the passing rays and then Gabriella followed suit, doing the same. Soon enough, she was stroking them with more ease and several seemed to be swimming back to her for more. Troy found this amusing, yet understood their reaction completely.

"So, dolphins, manta rays...you have an affinity for sea life it seems," Troy commented a bit later as they were moving on from the ray pool.

Gabriella shrugged. "I don't know. I grew up going to the aquarium. I even had a sleepover there as a child."

"What? How'd that happen?"

"Nothing crazy. The museum offers that option for birthday parties and such and my parents knew I loved it there so..."

"So they let you sleep with the fishes," Troy finished for her in his best mock mobster voice.

Gabriella laughed and elbowed him playfully. "I wouldn't put it in that tone but yes."

"The Chicago Aquarium, huh?"

"Yep, Shedd's. Not as big as this one but no less inspiring."

"Do you still go?"

"Yeah, from time to time. I know someone who works there. I did a glowing piece on the museum a while back. He lets me in an employee entrance sometimes for my lunch hour or when I just want time to think."

"Hunh...that's pretty cool."

Gabriella gave a half shrug. She wondered how much time she'd be spending there when she got back. She looked around taking note of what section of the aquarium they were now in. Dolphins. Nice. Appropriate, she thought, smiling at her memory from a couple weeks ago. It had been the first time she had really invited him into her day, her time, and her life. What a good step that had been considering that she had since invited him into her heart.

"Kiss me," she said, looking directly up into his eyes. Troy didn't care who was milling around them. He leaned down and joined his lips to hers happily, pulling her body closer to his in the process.

She smiled as they separated, cementing the memory in her brain with all the others. Troy returned the smile. "What was that about?" he asked.

"Just something for me to think about when I'm back in Chicago."

Troy pulled her into his body again, his arms sliding around her in an embrace as his lips brushed gently across the hair at the top of her head. She sighed, leaning into him and enjoying his warm comfort. She knew she would really miss it.

* * *

In Turin, their next stop, apparently the Automobile Capital of Italy or the Detroit of Italy, as Troy explained, they visited the famous Shroud of the city; Mole Antonelliana, the tallest museum in the world; and the National Museum of Cinema housed within it. Then they wondered along the Po River and also received samples from some of the six chocolate factories in the city.

After leaving Turin, they headed to the Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso, the first national park to be established in Italy, with high mountains, low valleys, woodlands, grasslands, rocks and glaciers to stun its visitors. In a lush meadow, Troy and Gabriella lay next to each other, looking up at the mountain peaks rising around them and listening to the sound of the waterfall they had passed on their way out to this spot.

"Italy has a little bit of everything, doesn't it?"

"Mmmhmm," Troy answered serenely.

"I mean, it makes sense that it does. I just never knew it had so much to offer, even as much as I always wanted to come here."

"I'm so glad you did come here. I really, really need to order up some grand thank you flowers or something for your friends."

"They're really happy about us," Gabriella said, turning her head to smile over at him. "Of course, they want to meet you in person, not just virtually."

"Well, then, we'll just have to make that happen, won't we?" he answered with a pleased grin.

Gabriella stared back at him thoughtfully for a moment and then turned her gaze back to their surroundings.

"Hey...where'd you go just then?" Troy asked curiously.

Gabriella shook her head slightly, still with a small smile. "Nowhere."

"Come on. You can tell me. Don't make me tickle it out of you."

Gabriella met his eyes again with a laugh. "You really like tickling me, don't you?"

"Of course." He watched her roll her eyes playfully. "What? Tickling's a very good thing, you know."

"Is that so?" she asked teasingly.

"Yes, that's so," he defended.

She looked back at him bemused.

Troy propped himself up on one elbow, looked around, and plucked a soft blade of grass from behind her head. He held it above her and then ran its tip gently down over her arm. "Does that tickle?" he asked.

"A little."

Troy gently lifted the hem of her shirt up a bit and ran the blade of grass across her stomach, seeing her muscles contract slightly from the touch. "And that?"

"Definitely."

He brought the soft blade up to her neck and ran it teasingly around it, seeing a small shiver as a result. "And that?"

"You know it does. Everywhere you touch tickles."

Troy smiled knowingly. "And what does it feel like when it tickles?"

"I don't know. It tingles, I guess...makes my senses feel heightened."

"Exactly."

"Exactly?"

"Yes. That's why it's a good thing. It's a throwback from caveman days really."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Close your eyes."

Gabriella's expression was still one of amusement but she did as he instructed.

"Now, imagine you're a cavewoman sleeping alone in your nice stone cave."

"Why am I alone? Where's my big, strong caveman?" she teased.

"Out hunting to keep you fed, woman," Troy joked back. "But that's beside the point."

"What is the point?"

"The point is you're lying there and all of a sudden you get a warning." Saying this, he swiftly ran the grass across her exposed upper chest.

"Ooh," she exclaimed as goosebumps formed.

"It could be a bug or the air has changed in the cave because some unexpected creature or human has entered it. Whatever it is, it's your sixth sense. It's meant to protect you, so you can act quickly. So, see...tickling is good."

"Mmm," Gabriella murmured, considering this. "But how exactly does it protect me from you?"

Troy smiled down upon her beautiful face, eyes still closed, lips curved slightly upward. He leaned in closer to her. "Well, your senses should react to me and you can act as you need to."

"As I need to, huh?"

"Yes," he said huskily. "Why don't we see how close I need to get before you start to feel tingles or your senses being heightened?"

Gabriella almost snorted. He was already there. Her senses felt heightened with him in another room let alone this close. She nodded, waiting with enjoyment as she felt him move in closer.

"Now?" he asked.

"Hmm...I'm not sure," she teased.

"And now?"

She felt the heat of him draw nearer. "Maybe."

"How about now?" he whispered, his breath lightly fanning her lips.

"Getting there."

"Now?" he spoke against her lips.

"Yes...that definitely tingles," she whispered.

"Now, act," he whispered back, brushing his lips against hers and hearing her soft moan as her arms wrapped around him, pulling him further down to her as she claimed his lips with her own.

They lay there kissing and enjoying each other's embrace for some time. When they finally forced themselves to stop, Gabriella smiled up at Troy. "I guess tickling is a good thing."

"I definitely like your senses being aware of me."

"I gathered that. I'm not sure it protected me though."

"Maybe it protected you from missing out on my great kissing skills."

Gabriella laughed happily. "Maybe."

"You never told me what you were thinking," Troy observed a moment or so later.

Gabriella paused, remembering their pre-tickling discussion. "I was just trying to imagine what that would be like, you meeting my friends and family in person."

"Will."

"Hmm?"

"Will be like. I have every intention of doing so, Gabriella. I'm not just blowing out hot air over here, I promise."

"Oh, I didn't mean...I know you're not. It's just, it's all part of the real world we're not really back in yet. That's just how my brain's seeing it anyway."

"How does your heart see it?"

Gabriella let out a long breath. "My heart hurts at the thought of leaving you."

"Mine does too."

"What's the caveman answer to that?" she asked softly.

"I don't know. It probably involves me slinging you over my shoulder and carrying you off somewhere."

"Where would you carry me off to?"

"Hmm...here, the Hassler, the vineyard, my apartment, a private jet...presuming I'm a pretty successful caveman..."

Gabriella smiled at those options. "I'd like any of those. It's not that simple though."

"Jets are not simple, woman," Troy teased, trying to keep the mood positive.

"I know," Gabriella answered softly, lips still curved but thoughts of the future continuing to swirl through her mind.

Troy's watch beeped at him at that point, alerting them that they needed to head back and meet up with the group. They did so reluctantly but not before grabbing a few more self-portraits of themselves in this lovely area.

* * *

In nearby Courmayeur in Val D'Aoste, they checked into their cozy hotel at the foot of Mont Blanc. Troy and Gabriella ate dinner in their room that evening and enjoyed their time together curled up in front of the fireplace. It's where they awoke the next morning, having made love and fallen asleep there on the floor wrapped up in blankets and each other's arms. They enjoyed a nice breakfast with the group and touring of the nearby Aosta with its Roman ruins and Castle of Bramafan. In the afternoon, dressed more warmly than they'd been for the rest of their trip, they set off for an unforgettable cable car ride through the Alps, stopping first at the Pavillon station to see the botanic garden, Giardino Alpino Saussurea, then at the Helbronner station, the ice-clad lookout providing stunning views of the Mont Blanc glaciers, the Matterhorn, and other peaks looming in the distance. On the final leg of their journey, they took a cable car down into Chamonix, France, right at the border of both countries.

In Chamonix, they had dinner at a restaurant overlooking the expanse of the mountains, first with the gold halo of the late day sun on them but eventually majestic shadows in the darkening night. Troy and Gabriella dined with the Ericksons and Ivan and they were all enjoying this very different scenery within their trip.

"Mom would've loved this place, wouldn't she, dad?" Jennifer commented thoughtfully.

"Yes, she would have," John agreed, seeing both of his daughters, Ivan, and Gabriella and Troy sending warm smiles back at him.

"It's a good thing you weren't from Florida or some other hot state or you might not have been able to convince mom to stick with you," Johanna teased fondly.

"Well, I didn't initially."

"What?"

Seeing that everyone was now looking at him with some level of confusion or interest, John explained.

"Joyce and I met when my job sent me up to Fairbanks, Alaska to get a plant back on its feet," he explained for Troy, Gabriella, and Ivan's benefit. "Neither of us were looking for any attachments but, well, what is it they say? Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." He paused for a reflective chuckle. "Anyway, we met, we enjoyed each other's company and it felt like more. We'd only known each other about six weeks and I was set to return home. My job was done. But I wasn't."

Jennifer and Johanna smiled at each other knowingly and then smiled up at their father. "So you proposed and here we are," Jennifer chimed in happily.

John just patted her on the shoulder lovingly and shook his head slowly. "It wasn't that easy, pumpkin. I'm surprised your mother didn't tell you more...but then, she always was such a romantic so maybe that's why." He saw the puzzled and slightly concerned looks on his daughters' faces again and continued. "She said 'no' the first time I proposed. Actually, she said 'no' the second time too. Both of those were before I went back to New York. She didn't know if she could trust what we had, given the short amount of time but also the distance between the lives we each knew as normal before meeting each other. So, I left, heavy hearted and uncertain I was doing the right thing. She didn't take my calls at first and I felt sure she was breaking things off, that she'd decided what we had wasn't worth it. I tried to get back into my normal day to day routine, but nothing felt the same. Finally, just about the time I thought I might catch some flights back to Alaska, I reached her. It was through a friend who essentially tricked her into taking the call but that was it. Her willpower was shaken once she heard my voice again. She'd thought we might both feel differently once we were apart. She'd thought that we wouldn't be able to make things work or that it'd be crazy for us to try. That conversation changed her mind and her heart had already been willing to follow. After that, we called each other...ran up horrendous phone bills. We arranged a trip for her to New York and she met my family. I traveled back to Alaska and spent time with hers. We figured it out."

"So, the third time you proposed was the charm?" Ivan asked.

"Yes...though it was kind of a mutual ask," John mused. "Your mother was a very special woman," he said, smiling over at his two daughters.

"Yes, she was," they agreed.

"A mutual ask, huh?" Troy asked curiously.

"Yes." John smiled off into the distance, lost in his memory for a moment. "We just...both brought it up in conversation." After another moment, he returned his attention to them. "It was great to be on the same wavelength and to be truly ready to plan our future together."

"And she moved to New York?" Gabriella asked.

"Eventually. I moved to Alaska for a while...had my job transfer me there for a longer stint. Later on, New York had more to offer and we moved there...but I would have moved to Antarctica for Joyce and I do think she would have moved to Florida for me, Jo...just not at first," John finished with a chuckle.

"But you decided on each other first and then the decisions about geography made themselves," Jen summarized.

"I don't know if I'd say they made themselves. They were thought out and they took time and compromise. I don't want to belittle that process and make you think it was entirely easy. I'd say we just didn't let them make us," John clarified.

Jen nodded. "I get it, dad."

"I hope so, Jenny, because David is a wonderful young man but it doesn't mean you'll think he's wonderful every day. I know there were days your mother couldn't decide whether to kiss me or kick me and I wouldn't have blamed her for either."

The group laughed lightly at this.

"Marriage...a good relationship...takes work. Some days, it doesn't seem to take any. Others, it does. But if, at the end of the day, you still love each other and can't imagine life without the other person and are willing to acknowledge your imperfections as well as his and your strengths as well as his, you'll be okay. Just keep communicating honestly with each other and keep loving each other the best way you know how." John smiled at his youngest daughter and then at each of the group surrounding him. "At least, that's what I think your mother would've wanted me to tell you," he said softly, returning his attention to Jennifer.

Her eyes a bit moist, she nodded and smiled before reaching over and hugging her dad. "Thanks, daddy," she whispered, squeezing him lovingly. "I'll remember."

'I'll remember too,' Gabriella thought, blinking back her own tears across the table and feeling Troy give her shoulder a squeeze.

* * *

On the bus ride back into Italy to their Courmayeur chalet, Gabriella curled up into Troy on the back seat of the bus. Most of their group was tired and thus, pretty quiet for the ride but for some occasional hushed chatter. That coupled with the knowledge of John's story helped make the journey kind of peaceful for the twosome in the back.

"We can do this," Troy whispered into her dark tresses.

Gabriella nodded and squeezed his hand in hers. They could do this. They just needed to take it one step at a time, starting with enjoying the rest of their time together here. She trusted Troy's heart and she trusted hers. They could keep communicating honestly and loving each other the best way they knew how. It would be okay.

* * *

Author's Note: Up next - lovely lakes, a balcony, and vineyard/family time...


	28. Chapter 28

**Escape to Love Chapter 28**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Days 26 & 27 (Wed. & Thurs.)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Thank you, thank you for your sweet reviews and well wishes last time! I'm sorry I haven't had time to respond. Okay, this is another one that's shorter than I might have uploaded but I want to continue giving you updates as I'm able (baby's still cookin' though I'm trying to convince him to come out and meet us...haha). This one's for Anna - Happy Birthday (weekend), most awesome lady! ;-) Enjoy!

* * *

Packing up to leave the chalet the next morning, Troy noticed and pointed out the empty box from Sharpay. "We'll need to hit up a shop today," he remarked with the cocky little grin Gabriella had once found so annoying and now found adorable. She stared briefly at the empty condom box thoughtfully.

"Troy, have you always been safe? With Katherine even?"

Troy considered the question for a moment. "Yeah, actually, I have. Katherine was not keen on taking any chances. A baby would've really put a wrench in her plans, I guess," he said with a wistful smile.

Gabriella swallowed. It was still hard to think of how Katherine had used Troy and how much she'd hurt him. She thought about what she was about to say next. "I'm sorry...about Katherine."

Troy shook his head. "It's fine. It's been better in the long run."

Gabriella nodded. "You should know that I am on birth control...and I have always been safe."

"Okay...that's...good."

"What I'm saying is...we don't have to hit up a shop. We can...but we don't have to if you don't want to."

Troy studied her as understanding dawned. Then, the corners of his lips began to raise in a pleased smile. "You'd want that?"

"I...I mean, things are great...beyond great. But, sure...I think it could be...nice."

"Nice, huh?" he teased playfully, moving closer to her.

The corners of Gabriella's lips began to lift. "Yes...just...us."

"That could be very nice," he purred, pulling her to him gently and kissing her.

"Glad you think so." Gabriella's smile faltered slightly with uncertainty. "I mean, I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't think, well..I think we have a future, is what I mean."

Troy twirled her hair around his fingers sweetly and thoughtfully. "I think so too," he agreed. He understood. It was something that could be theirs. Neither of them could give each other their virginity; that was long since gone. And Troy had already given marriage to another. But they could share this. And the hope was there on both sides that it might be something they'd only share with each other.

* * *

Arriving at Stresa on Lago Maggiore a while later, the two enjoyed some of the water sports there with their friends. Following that, they enjoyed taking the ferry to Isola Bella, referred to by some locals as the Garden of Eden. Walking the varying levels of the floral paradise hand in hand, Troy and Gabriella talked about the people and things most special to them in life, their favorite life memories, their secret little dreams and fantasies for their lives, and what inspired them from day to day. They felt closer to each other than ever.

Stopping to enjoy the late afternoon sun's showcasing of a particularly stunning area of the garden, Troy paused and then reached into his pocket, withdrawing a small black velvet pouch. Gabriella turned to remark on the stonework and flowers around them but shut her mouth when she saw the pouch in Troy's hand.

"I got something for you," he said slowly and by way of explanation.

Gabriella's gaze moved from Troy's hand to his face and back. He held the pouch out to her and she took it gingerly, slowly pulling on the tiny strings and reaching inside. She pulled out a delicate silver chain that held two silver charms, one in the shape of Italy and one in the shape of a rose. The rose charm was mostly silver but the tiny petals had a lavender hue.

"I wanted to get something that represented us and our time together here. I don't know if that's just too cheesy or too simple though. I thought it might look nice but..."

Gabriella stared down at the charms in her hand and then, listening to Troy's nervous explanation, she lifted her face to look at him, the smile growing on her lips with each second. "I love these, Troy," she interrupted him gently. "I really do. Will you put this on me?"

Troy smiled with relief and accepted the necklace back from her as she turned away from him so that he could fasten it on her. She turned back to him, looking down and fingering the charms once more before reaching her arms up to pull him down into a loving kiss.

"There's a condition for accepting this necklace, you know," Troy said softly after she'd released his lips.

"And what is that?" she asked happily.

"You have to also accept that I'm staying in your life…and that…more jewelry may follow."

Gabriella felt her heart flutter with hope, believing she understood the implication. It was kind of crazy to think about, but on the other hand, it seemed natural to want it and to feel right about it. She nodded her head at him, eyes holding his. "Accepted," she responded, voice full of sincerity…and then she kissed those beautifully curving lips of his again.

* * *

Following a lovely dinner overlooking the water, Troy and Gabriella danced the night away with their friends at the local clubs until they fell into bed that night, exhausted.

* * *

"Hey...you're awake. What's up?" Troy whispered in the quiet darkness of the room hours later.

"Nothing. Just woke up and haven't fallen back to sleep yet," Gabriella answered softly. "The sun'll be up soon," she added, turning her head toward the glass balcony door near her side of the bed.

Troy eyed the clock on his side of the bed and saw that she was right. "Do you wanna go out and watch it?"

Gabriella turned back to him with a sleepy smile and nodded. Troy nodded in return and leaned over to place a soft kiss on her lips before pulling himself up and out of bed. Gabriella rose as well and looked gratefully at Troy as she saw him pull a blanket off their bed to take with them. Stepping out onto the balcony confirmed Troy's thoughtful action. Though the weather was mild, there was still a little bit of chilly early morning air blowing across the water and all Gabriella was wearing was a sheer nightie. Troy only had on his pajama pants. They snuggled up next to each other on the balcony lounger, the blanket wrapped around them, and Gabriella smiled thinking back to keeping warm together for their first shared sunrise a few weeks before. She felt Troy's warm breaths float across the top of her hair as she snuggled her head beneath his chin.

She breathed in the male scent of him, felt the strength of his thigh muscles beneath her hand. He was all man and he was all hers...right now, anyway. How had she gotten so lucky? She could never have seen this coming when she'd gotten on that plane at O'Hare weeks ago.

Troy felt the gentle rise and fall of her chest against his. He breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. Her warmth felt great against his side. He rubbed his hand gently up and down her arm. This moment felt perfect.

Gabriella turned her head and pulled it back to look up at him. He smiled down at her and she brought her lips up to meet his. The kiss was sweet to begin with, just a simple acknowledgement of their happiness and the rightness of their being there in that moment. But as their warmth mingled and they held to each other a bit tighter, they began to feel the pull of their attraction. Their kiss deepened and their hands wandered over now very familiar territory.

Their lips eventually separated and Gabriella found hers attached to the skin of Troy's neck as she moved to straddle his legs with her own. Troy's hands slid up and down her sides and over her buttocks, fingers gripping and pulling her closer to him. She vaguely noted the blanket falling away from her body as he slid her nightie up enough to uncover one breast and bring it to his mouth. She enjoyed the wet sensation, running her fingers through his hair.

Troy took his time, moving from one breast to the other, listening to his girlfriend's stunted breathing and enjoying the feel of her hands on him as well as the squirming bottom on his lap. When his lips met hers again, the kiss was more fervent.

The heat shot through to Gabriella's core as she felt Troy's hand slide her panties to one side and felt his finger slip inside her. She moaned as he moved it in and out of her and she lost herself to the pleasure of it for a minute or so. Breaking the kiss, she whispered against his lips. "I need you."

Troy held her intense gaze as he removed his hand and she unbuttoned and reached inside the front opening of his pajama pants, freeing his rigid length to the air between them. Her panties still pushed to the side, Gabriella simply adjusted her position over him before joining their two bodies easily.

And it _was_ nice. Nicer than nice. Her wet warmth embraced him, set him on fire. She enjoyed the rawness of him, his velvety flesh sliding against hers.

Skin on skin, they moved together, breaths shaky with their need. "You are so beautiful," Troy said, running his fingers tenderly through her hair. He noticed the beauty in front of him as well as the increasing beauty surrounding them as the sky began to lighten. Gabriella's lips met his and after a long kiss, they looked into each other's eyes once more.

"I don't want you to miss the sunrise," Troy whispered sexily, his hands coming to her hips and stilling them.

Gabriella looked at him with slight surprise.

Smiling at her, he helped her rise and turn around as he swung his legs over the side of the lounge so his feet rested on the ground. She felt him deftly slide her panties down her legs and she stepped out of them. Then, understanding, Gabriella parted her legs and let him pull her back so she was straddling him but facing the lightening expanse of sky in front of them. He had slid his pants down his legs as well. Bracing her hands on his knees, she lowered herself down over him again, sighing at the sensation of being filled by him once more. One of Troy's hands came up to pull the hair back over her shoulder. The other slid possessively around her waist as his lips found the sensitive skin of her neck. Gabriella closed her eyes and began to move. Then she opened them again, remembering why they had changed positions. The first colors of the morning sky were subtle and beautiful. She felt the breeze drift across her nipples through her nightie a moment before Troy's hands slid up under it and over them, having a greater effect.

"We should've done this the first time," he murmured into her ear.

"The others up there might have minded," she replied breathlessly back, hearing Troy's soft chuckle and feeling his one hand slide down over her belly and between her thighs.

He was no longer chuckling as he heard her moan his name, his fingers stroking her sex from the outside as a more insistent part of him did so from the inside.

Gabriella wondered if the colors were really becoming that bright and beautiful or if she was merely seeing things as intensely as she was feeling them. She rested her head back against his shoulder, brought her hands back to grip at the junction of his hips and outer thighs and increased her movements to the best of her ability.

As he felt her pleasure and registered the slackening of her thighs around his, Troy held her tightly to him, just savoring the moment and his own pleasure in it. He was beginning to feel the first semblances of the sun's warmth in addition to the warmth of the woman in front of him. Gabriella let out a pleasured sigh as she began to move again slowly. Troy smiled into her shoulder, and moved his hands down to her waist, helping her somewhat as he moved from below her. He felt close but he could also feel the slight tremble of her thighs.

"Tired?" he asked.

"A little," she answered, turning her head to look at him apologetically.

Troy leaned forward and kissed her and then helped her to stand once more before lying on his side on the lounge chair and pulling her down to lie in front of but still facing away from him. He gently lifted her upper leg and supported it with his own as he slid into her warmth once more. Then he slid his arm around her, caressing her lovingly and in the ways that he knew brought her the most pleasure.

Gabriella lost herself to the peaceful bliss of the situation. She let him love her…let herself enjoy his love and enjoy the magic of what they were doing and where and when they were doing it. She felt free with him, more free than she'd ever felt with anyone. In part, it may have been this fantasy adventure she found herself on, but she believed the larger part was him. That said, it was her too. Logically, she didn't believe that you strayed too far from your own true self and your own boundaries and limits no matter where you were, which led her to thinking that this was really her...that she was a woman free enough to love and be loved without fear and inhibition...that she could and did trust this man, but more importantly, that she trusted herself and the decisions she was making here. A month ago, she hadn't known if she'd be able to do that again.

Troy watched the gold and pink hues begin to color the smooth skin of his girlfriend's arms and legs and caught the reflections off the dark shine of her hair as well. He buried his face in it, breathing in the scent he loved so now. He felt her body's every thrill to his movements. He felt the easy give and take between them. He loved how she trusted him and was content to be his. It made him feel even more possessive of her. It made him feel a need to take care of her as well as or better than himself. It made him envision their future and make a promise to himself that they would reach it.

"I love you," he breathed in her ear right before they fell over the edge together.

Gabriella gripped at his arm, his words intensifying her pleasure as much as the rest of their actions had. She loved the feel of him pressed to her back and the pulsations that she felt throughout her body. She loved the new feeling of his wet heat within her. She felt even more connected to him. She breathed shallowly until the calm settled over her and her breaths began to come more slowly and to normalize.

Troy's were doing the same and she moved to turn in his arms and he slipped from her and released her leg, helping her to. He located the blanket once more and pulled it back up over them. Her fingers made their way into his hair and she stared into his beautiful blue eyes. "I love you, too." He pulled her even closer to him and their legs entwined as they brought their lips together to do the same.

"I think you may be the best sunrise partner ever," she whispered playfully as their lips separated.

"Don't you forget it," Troy said huskily, his eyes twinkling as he smiled at her.

"I won't," she promised, holding his gaze for several beats before snuggling up into his chest and making herself at home there.

Troy stroked her back lovingly with his hands, watching the sun rise higher in the morning sky and knowing he wanted every day of sunshine, and rain for that matter, to be another in which he got to have her in his life.

* * *

Author's Note: Up next - How _is_ Gabriella's story coming along? And, yep, vineyard/family time. :)


	29. Chapter 29

**Escape to Love Chapter 29**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

**TOUR INFO:** Days 27, 28, & 29 (Thurs., Fri., & Sat.)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Okay, here's another one I might have made longer, but am continuing on with the updates as I'm able. Baby boy is apparently too comfy where he is...grrr. Enjoy!

* * *

Having fallen back to sleep for a little while out there on their balcony, Troy and Gabriella eventually awoke and got ready to start another day. They moved on to the small town of Tremezzo on Lago di Como, where their group visited the Villa Carlotta, with its fantastic garden, fountains, waterfall, and marble works, such as Mars and Venus by Luigi Acquisti. They also visited the River of Milk south of Varenna and took in the quaint lakeside charms of other nearby towns such as Bellagio and Lenno.

In the late afternoon, having taken some time to help some of his group members finalize their travel plans for the coming days, Troy found Gabriella seated at a small table out on one of the hotel's patios by the water, her laptop in front of her. She continued typing as he approached her.

"How's the story coming?" he asked, coming to stand in front of her.

Gabriella looked up with a smile. "It's pretty much done I think. Would you like to read it now?"

Troy paused for a moment. "Only if you want me to. I know what I said when you first asked to include Nonna's story but I trust you, Gabriella, so if it's more of a writer's prerogative not to share, then I understand."

"I appreciate that, Troy. But I want to share it with you."

Troy grinned and sat down in the chair next to her. Gabriella slid the laptop over in front of him. He surprised her by pulling her up and over onto his lap. "Will you read it to me?" Gabriella considered and then nodded.

"Of course there'll be the whole descriptive mini-blurb before it launches into my article. You know, 'Gabriella Montez recently took on an assignment to take a one-month tour of Italy...yada, yada, yada,' that kind of thing."

"And it will credit our tour company? And the best tour guide ever?"

Gabriella laughed. "Yes."

"Good. Mom'll love that."

Gabriella smiled. "I hope so."

Troy gave her a sweet squeeze and kissed her temple.

Taking a breath, she looked at the screen in front of them and began reading aloud.

_"Arriving in Italy, I knew I was in for a memorable experience, one way or another. I felt a mix of excitement and trepidation. I felt blessed but also lost. My boss, my friends, and my own uncertain self had sent me on a journey...and a journey is exactly what I experienced._

_Italy is known for much...great food, passionate people, rich history and culture, and love. I was fortunate enough to enjoy all of these during my month abroad._

_The food. What can one say about the food to possibly do it justice? As one dish I enjoyed, Saltimbocca, translates to in English, it literally 'jumps in the mouth.' The Napoli pizza is worth every new inch on my waistline. And dessert, I have learned, is not to be missed._

_The people. They are indeed passionate...about their food, their beautiful country, their families, their hopes, dreams, ambitions, and loves (short or long term) and their driving. Being in the midst of it all leaves one feeling more passionate about living in general. Thank you for that, Italia._

_History and culture. It's true-this country has art that can make you weep. It's everywhere...not just in large churches and museums but on simple corners in simple towns. It's preserved here like nowhere else I've seen and it can be appreciated by all, male or female, young or old, devout or unbelieving. I could tell you that you must see David in Florence and The Pieta in Rome and the remains of Pompeii (and you must!) but the overriding point is that you must see for yourself what you must see...walk the streets, explore the towns, let Italy speak to you. The beauty is overwhelming and inspiring and life-changing._

_And now, this sentimental writer must move on to love. Who doesn't associate Italy with thoughts of love and romance? This common link is not unfounded. I was surrounded by varying experiences of love, by very real stories from very real people. Love growing from and overcoming heartache, love when you least expect it, love still going strong after many years, love after one is gone, and love that knows no geographical bounds. Love worth sharing with others...and so I shall share these stories with you in the coming pages...with a bit of food, the Italian people, history and culture mixed in."_

Gabriella paused and looked back at Troy, who was smiling warmly. "That is a pretty strong opening there, Montez. I guess I see why they pay you the big bucks," he teased.

Gabriella laughed. "The bucks aren't that big."

"Well, they should be. I'm completely drawn in."

"Well, thank you," she said sincerely, leaning down to place a kiss on his lips before turning back to continue reading.

Troy listened as she told the stories not only of his grandparents but also of the Blakes and of John and his late wife. She also hinted at the beautiful familial love of his friends Zio and Anna and their two girls. But what naturally stood out the most were the interspersed revelations of her own experiences with love, both heartbreaking and promising. She didn't share overtly but did let the reader know that she'd gone to Italy feeling hurt and unsure and that she had found in Italy something she hadn't expected to find, love…that she had found someone else who had been hurt and didn't expect to find love with her either, but had…and that they had both also found hope through the process.

_"The journey every woman should take isn't to Italy necessarily, though I can't recommend it enough. It isn't even necessarily to Europe. The journey doesn't need to be geographical; it just needs to be about you. It's about being open to experiences and emotions, change and challenges, friendship and love, and most importantly, happiness. I went to Italy to escape…I thought I was escaping from something…I didn't know I was escaping to something. Yes, I was on the Escape to Italy tour, but I did more than escape to Italy. I escaped to love. And I know how cliche that sounds. I wouldn't have foreseen this ending, or rather, beginning, to this story either, but it is how it has turned out for me…and I am very pleased. I hope you will all find your own journey or escape if you have not done so already. And I just want you to know that, for this escapee, Italy is love."_

The tone of Gabriella's voice was soft but content as she read the final words of her article. Troy felt a mix of emotions. He was extremely proud of her and he felt reassured of her feelings for him. He felt his own feelings for her renewed and further strengthened. He wanted to both keep her selfishly to himself and to share her beauty and inspiration with the world. Mostly, he just wanted to keep loving her as intensely as he did right then.

He placed his fingers gently against her opposite cheek and turned her to face him. "You…are love," he said quietly and sincerely, looking into her big, dark eyes before kissing her.

It was a long and sweet kiss, affirming all Gabriella had written and shared with him, affirming the hope within what she'd written. Her arms around him, she returned his kiss and felt at peace with the moment. She felt a closure with what had been and an excitement for what could be in the future.

* * *

Having spent a blissful remainder of time at the lake, Gabriella and Troy found themselves spending a final day with their group members. Their final Friday all together had come and with it, some final sightseeing in Parma, followed by Greve in Chianti, where Troy and Gabriella said their goodbyes to the others, as the official tour had come to an end and everyone had plans to either head to the airport or see a bit more on their own before leaving Italy within the next day or two.

Saying goodbye to the Ericksons was naturally the hardest, but they promised to stay in touch with Troy and Gabriella and to continue their friendship beyond this experience. Saying goodbye to Ivan was even a bit sad. Troy and Gabriella were glad to see that he and Jo had grown closer and closer during the trip and seemed to be considering their future together as much as the two of them were. Over the weeks, Ivan and Troy had even found some things they had in common and had been able to relate to each other on a non-antagonistic, near friendship level. And so it was on good terms that they all parted.

Troy and Gabriella headed from Greve on to Montalcino, where Nonna was delighted to have them back. Their plan was to stay the night on the vineyard and help in setting up for the party the following evening.

After a very nice dinner, Troy and Gabriella had offered to clean up and, following their time spent doing so between the dining room and the kitchen, they found themselves out on the back patio looking out over the pool and the land beyond.

"Will I be meeting Katherine's parents tomorrow too?" Gabriella asked softly, biting her lip slightly.

Troy breathed in the night air for a moment. "I think so. At least, I'm pretty sure they were invited."

Gabriella nodded, accepting this.

"They're nice, honest people, Gabriella. They're not like her."

"I believe you, Troy. It's just...I mean, what can they think of me?"

"What I think of you...that you're this wonderful, sweet, beautiful woman who is making me very happy."

She couldn't help smiling up at him for that description. "They don't hold any hopes of reconciliation for you and their daughter?"

"No. I think they hope she'll come home to them one day, but they know that what she and I had...well, they know that's in the past."

"Okay."

Troy stared down at Gabriella silently for a few moments, a grin forming on his face.

"Wha-at?" she asked uncertainly.

"Nothing, I'm just...I'm really excited to introduce you tomorrow…to Vittorio and Agnese, but mainly to my parents."

"No pressure or anything," she tried to joke back, nervously.

Troy shook his head at her. "Well, if you're stressing about it, I might have ways to relax you," he purred, leaning forward, pulling her to him and starting to nibble lightly and playfully on her neck.

Gabriella giggled, her hands against his chest. Pushing him away was definitely not what she was of a mind to do though and as his mouth stopped tickling so much as kissing, she closed her eyes and held to his shirt, enjoying the sensation.

And then they heard the sound of a throat clearing from somewhere nearby. Troy chuckled into her neck and then pulled away, his eyes twinkling as they met hers before he turned to acknowledge his grandmother. Gabriella felt like her cheeks must now be a shade of crimson not unlike the shade of the wine they'd drunk with dinner.

"Troy, could you be a dear and go make up the bed in the third floor room with the bedding I've left by the stairs?"

"Sure thing."

"Though I'm quite sure you won't end up staying up there when there are other more appealing options…"

"No idea what you're talking about, Nonna," he replied, giving her a devilish look and shooting one last humored glance his girlfriend's way before disappearing back into the house.

Gabriella bit her lip and then turned to face Troy's grandmother, offering her a small smile.

"Not so concerned about my delicate sensibilities now, are you?" Francesca said slyly, seeing the resulting blush on Gabriella's cheeks.

"Um, well, yes, but...we are just..."

"In love?"

Gabriella cleared her throat slightly and smiled, recognizing she was being teased by the older woman. "Yes."

Francesca smiled warmly at the young woman in front of her. "Good."

"Francesca," Gabriella began a moment later, "I have a bit of a confession to make."

The older woman raised an eyebrow at her curiously.

"When we visited you the first time, Troy and I weren't really dating then. We were just friends, but we didn't want to disappoint you."

Francesca's smile widened slightly. "I know, dear."

Gabriella's eyes widened in surprise. "You do?"

"Mmmhmm."

"But how?"

"I knew that day."

"But you said..."

"I said that I was happy you two had found each other and that you were both on your way and that you looked good together. I said that you were a Godsend and I said that you two had been looking at each other like you'd been wanting to kiss. I said it was fine for you two to take things slowly or not to."

Gabriella stared at her blankly, confused and a bit stunned.

"What? This old lady has a pretty sharp memory actually...and none of those things I said were wrong. But I never explicitly said you two were dating or a couple at that very point in time. Your heart and mind just filled in the blanks the way they'd been wanting to."

"But then you got us the couples' massage..."

"After you both came back in and started putting on your show of being a couple. Then, it just seemed like such a fun idea."

"Francesca!"

"What, my dear? You _are_ currently in love with my grandson, are you not?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"But what? You don't really have anything to be upset with me for, then do you?"

"I...well..." Gabriella sputtered for a moment before shutting her mouth. And then she let it all run through her mind, her memories of that day, how much she had wanted to kiss Troy, what exactly Francesca had said, how easily Troy had gone along with the supposed ruse too, and how they'd then both enjoyed their spa gift from Nonna despite the tension of the situation. And then she thought over the weeks of happiness they'd had since they'd acknowledged their feelings for each other. Finally, she thought about the conversation she and Troy had had on their way to the vineyard that first time. And she started to laugh. Still staring at the amused woman in front of her, she continued to laugh, and her laughter echoed off the back of the house and into the surrounding night air as Francesca joined her with her own melodious laugh.

Finally, wiping a tear from her eye from laughing so much, Gabriella found her voice again. "Troy told me that day I met you that you couldn't be ambushed, that you were cleverer than most, and that you were always right."

A pleased smile graced Troy's grandmother's lips. "Well, that was sweet of him. Smart boy."

"I should have taken heed."

"In a way, you did."

"I guess so. But how did you know...what you did know that day anyway?"

"Because you let me see it...and because I am a woman who has known a fierce love, a true love, the best kind of love, and it makes it easy for me to see the potential for that for others. The sparkle was there for both of you. And then you both confirmed it with your willingness to do what you deemed as acting. But you both knew it wasn't. And so did I. Now, I didn't know if once you left me, you'd both let your past hurts or stubbornness get in the way. I just hoped you wouldn't. I had faith. And you haven't disappointed."

Gabriella nodded, taking this all in. She looked out to the surrounding darkness and then looked back at Francesca once more. "And you still have faith?" she asked, her tone more somber now.

"Yes, I do."

Gabriella's lips twitched upward slightly. "And what do you see for us? For our future?"

"Happiness. Lasting love."

"How? Where? Please, Francesca, if you have any advice or thoughts on what we should do..."

"You should be together."

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do. And my answer stands. But it's not for me to figure out your how or your where. That's for you and Troy to figure out. And I believe you will."

* * *

That night, after enjoying some more laughs with Troy when she'd filled him in on his Nonna's cleverness, Gabriella's dreams were filled with different possibilities: family gatherings at the vineyard, walking with Troy along the river back in Chicago, swimming with him in the California surf. They all made her feel happy and she awoke not feeling any closer to an answer than she'd been the night before. Shaking off that uncertainty, she threw herself into the day's preparations.

Things were set up for the party on the land adjacent to the pool. Tables and chairs were set out and strings of lights were hung up surrounding the area. Candle centerpieces were placed on each of the tables and decorative bows were tied on some of the chairs. Food tables were arranged and speakers were appropriately placed to provide the guests with a selection of Gail's favorite music. A present table was set out and signs were placed out on the road to help guests find their way. Gabriella and Troy helped with all of these efforts as well as helping Francesca in the kitchen as she prepared some of the delectable items for the evening. Others were delivered and, naturally, the libations for the evening were the vineyard's very own.

Gabriella had taken leave to go get freshened up and changed for the party. Francesca and Troy had preceded her in this and were now outside awaiting everyone. Having showered and done her hair and makeup, she heard voices outside and went to a window to take a peek. She saw a handsome couple embracing Francesca and Troy. The family resemblance was evident. She took a deep breath, watched another moment, and then turned to slip on her dress.

* * *

"So...leading another tour...worst thing ever, huh?" Gail teased, pulling back from embracing her son.

Troy smiled sheepishly at his mother and cleared his throat. "Um, about that. I'm really sorry for how I overreacted and I'm sorry for worrying you with my behavior for so long."

"I'm a mom. I wake up worrying and go to sleep worrying. It's kind of in the job description," Gail responded with a reassuring smile. "I am glad that you're in a better place now though."

"I am. I definitely am." Troy paused, glancing up toward the window of the room in which he knew his girlfriend was nervously getting ready. "Well, except that I can't seem to fall in love with someone concurrently living in the same country," he added wryly.

"You always did like a challenge," Jack chimed in good humoredly.

"Well, I think Gabriella presents the best kind of challenge," Francesca contributed.

"So, when do we get to meet the lovely Gabriella?" Gail asked curiously.

"She'll be down here in a few minutes, dear," Francesca answered her daughter. "She's been busy all day helping us get everything ready for the party, so we sent her off to have a bit of time to herself before it started."

Gail smiled approvingly, looking around and catching sight of some of the efforts that had been put in for her celebration. "You know, you guys didn't have to go to this much trouble for my birthday."

"Yes we did, hon. You're especially old this year and we had to make a big deal of that," Jack joked. Though his primary job that day had been getting his wife there, he had helped with all of the preparations prior to that day.

"Hey!" Gail protested, giving her husband a playful slap to the chest. "You are only two months younger. Shut it."

"Still younger…"

"Ooh…"

"Jack, I think if you want to make it to that next birthday, it might be wise to stop now," Francesca warned playfully, seeing her daughter nod in agreement.

"Yeah, and I don't really want you crashing on my couch, dad," Troy added with mirth. "No offense."

"Hmmph," Jack responded with false affront, "I hope I don't lose my sense of humor when I turn 50."

"If…" Gail warned with feigned menace.

From the doorway, Gabriella watched this give and take amongst Troy's family, smiling at their playful way with one another. Jack's next words though gave her pause.

"Speaking of your couch, son…where do you think it will be located going forward anyway?"

Troy looked back at his parents with uncertainty. "I don't know, honestly."

After a moment of tense silence, Gail placed her arm around Troy's waist and gave him a motherly squeeze. "You don't have to right now. Just know that we'll support you in whatever makes you happy, dear."

Troy looked warmly down into his mother's face. "Thanks, mom."

Francesca clapped her hands, breaking the mood slightly, and called for Gabriella to join them, having seen her lingering in her spot by the front doorway. Troy turned and beamed at the raven-haired beauty that met his loving smile with a shaky one of her own. She walked over to where they were standing and he pulled her into his side reassuringly. "Mom, dad, this is Gabriella Montez."

* * *

Author's Note: Up next - obviously, more vineyard time and...? ;-)


	30. Chapter 30

**Escape to Love Chapter 30**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-) I certainly don't own the song referenced in this chapter though I do love it.

**TOUR INFO:** Days 29 & 30 (Sat. & Sun.)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **First, if you're reading this, thank you for continuing on with me and this story. I know it's been a long time. My boys (the hubs and the two tiny tots) keep me quite busy, plus work, plus family/friends, plus the cross country move we've just undertaken. But I've never had any plan to abandon this story, I promise. I foresee probably 1-3 more chapters after this one, but we'll see. And I have no intention of it taking quite so long for the next update, but don't expect it in a few days either. Haha. I just want you all to know I still appreciate every review (even if I don't get a chance to respond), every favorite, and every alert. A busy mama needs a creative outlet or two and this is one of mine but I love knowing that others enjoy it even if I'd do it anyway. :) Sooo...back to where we left off... Oh, and Erin - this one's for you. ;)

* * *

_Previously:_

_Francesca clapped her hands, breaking the mood slightly, and called for Gabriella to join them, having seen her lingering by the front doorway. Troy turned and beamed at the raven-haired beauty that met his loving smile with a shaky one of her own. She walked over to where they were standing and he pulled her into his side reassuringly. "Mom, dad, this is Gabriella Montez."_

* * *

"Gabriella," Gail said warmly, "it's very nice to meet you."

"Yes, it is," Jack chimed in cheerfully.

"It's very nice to meet you both as well. Troy has shared wonderful things about your family and I feel really privileged to be able to be a part of today. Happy Birthday, Mrs. Bolton."

"Gail. Just call me Gail. And thank you very much. I guess I can't grumble much about a birthday that results in a lovely party."

"Don't listen to her, Gabriella. She'll grumble if she sees fit anyway," Jack joked.

"Oh, Jack, stop," Gail admonished.

Once again, Gabriella found herself smiling at their interactions, not unlike those of her own parents, who she felt a momentary pang for, being so far away.

"I don't think I can," Jack whispered conspiratorially in Gabriella's direction with a face that made her laugh, and one she was pretty sure she'd seen his son use before. "And you can just call me Jack too."

"You can just call them both crazy," Troy murmured in her ear.

"Troy Anthony Bolton, I heard that."

"Yeah, son, age hasn't affected her canine hearing ability."

"Canine, huh? Gee, that's exactly what I was going for."

"I'm with Troy," Francesca chimed in. "You're both crazy and you're going to scare the dear girl away."

"Now, mom," Jack put in jovially, relishing the opportunity to tease his mother-in-law, "if you haven't already done that, I don't think we will."

"Hmmph..."

Giggling, Gabriella cut in. "You've all put me at ease, actually. Thank you. It's like being around my own family and that's really nice."

Four smiles met that statement and then Francesca suggested they all go sit down and chat for a while before the guests arrived. So, they moved down to the party area and did just that, Gail and Jack learning a little about Gabriella and her family and asking for the stories on how Troy and Gabriella's relationship had developed during the tour, knowing some of the information already but enjoying hearing it straight from their son and his new love and seeing the interaction in front of them as the two shared their own recollections of it. As guests arrived, Gail's and Jack's attentions were naturally diverted, as were Troy's and Gabriella's as he spent time introducing her to Italian family, vineyard staff, neighbors, and family friends. Troy had been right and meeting Vittorio and Agnese proved more pleasant than pained. They did seem to be a sweet couple and seemed pleased for Troy in his current happiness, though she could tell it was still a mite bittersweet for them. Zio and Anna had decided to visit with some of their family in the area and managed to come to the party for a little while, so Gabriella was delighted to get to see them once again and the feeling was mutual. Overall, the party seemed to be a success. Everyone, especially Gail, was enjoying the festivities. After dinner, the woman of the hour asked Gabriella if they could go for a short walk together. Gabriella agreed and the two women walked a bit away from the noise of the party, chatting about who Gabriella had and hadn't gotten to meet and about which dishes had been the biggest hits with the guests. Finding more quiet, the two stopped and had a seat on a bench outside the vineyard office. Having felt pretty pleased with the way the day had gone so far, Gabriella now felt her nerves re-emerge somewhat, hoping this wasn't the part where Troy's mom told her to leave his life quietly.

"Gabriella, I feel as though I should say something wise and motherly, but I honestly don't know what to tell you," Gail began, a small, helpless smile on her face. "I can see that you make Troy very happy."

"He makes me very happy too," Gabriella offered.

"I'm glad. I..." Gail paused and gathered her thoughts further. "Of course I believe my son could make someone very happy. He's grown into a wonderful, caring, intelligent, thoughtful man. But, as I think you know, he's given his heart before and been very hurt."

Gabriella nodded her understanding.

"We feared it may have changed him irrevocably but now see that, with your love, maybe that dark part of his life is over...or maybe it's just beginning again."

Gabriella's eyes widened at this.

"I don't mean to say that you have any ill intentions. I don't get the sense that you do. I just don't know what happens once you get on that plane tomorrow."

"Gail, I...I don't know either. But...I love your son. I love him and I want to make things work between us. We both have some commitments right now that we need to see to...and we need to figure out what happens next and how...but I know I don't want to hurt him and I don't want to be hurt. I want us to be together."

Gail considered this. "Do you see him moving to be with you?"

Gabriella swallowed. The question was fair and it wasn't asked with any judgment in the tone. "I think that he possibly would," she answered carefully. "But I don't know if I would ask him to or if that's what would end up being best for us or not."

"Okay. What do you hope will happen when you two are apart?"

"I hope...I hope it all stays real. I mean, I believe it is, even though it still seems kind of crazy to me that we could be this blessed this quickly. But I just want what we have to be able to withstand the distance and time. If it can and does, well, then...then I don't know if I'd care where we'd live. I mean, I'd care, but I feel like if we work, we could make the rest of it work."

"That's a very romantic notion."

"I know."

"It's the way my son thinks…the way he did think once."

"I love him for who he is, not what he does. I promise."

"I believe you. I do believe it's different…you're different…and I'm glad Troy hasn't lost that hopeful romantic side of him. I just worry for you both because it's not an easy situation you face."

Gabriella sent a small, sad smile Gail's way. "But it is one we need to face."

Gail nodded. She was silent for a moment and then spoke again. "Well, for what it's worth, you seem very determined and very sincere and I've enjoyed getting to know you a little bit today. I think I would like the opportunity to get to know you a whole lot better in the future. And if you love my son as much as you say you do, then I can't help but support that. He has a light in his eyes that…well, it's the only birthday present I need, really."

Gabriella's smile grew. "I'm glad…and thank you. I'd love to get to know you and your whole family more. We'll have to figure out how to make that happen."

"Yes, we will," Gail agreed, returning the warm smile and reaching over to squeeze the younger woman's hand in her own, an understanding between them that they had both been seeking.

They sat together a little while longer, speaking a bit more lightly just about their own likes, dislikes, and experiences…getting to know a bit more about each other. Then, they rejoined the party in time for the cake cutting and present sharing. Gail loved all of her presents, especially the gloves from Troy and Gabriella and the complementing scarf Gabriella had found to go along with them. Later, as the guests were gradually saying their goodbyes and the party was winding down, Troy pulled Gabriella up onto the dance floor. They laughed with each other as they danced to a few faster songs and then things slowed down a bit and they enjoyed dancing to a slow song. As the next slow song came on, they really found their shared rhythm, rocking together to it, the words hitting home for them.

"I really hate to let this moment go

Touching your skin and your hair falling slow

When a goodbye kiss…feels like this...

Don't you wanna stay here a little while?

Don't you wanna hold each other tight?

Don't you wanna fall asleep with me tonight?

Don't you wanna stay here a little while?

We can make forever feel this way…

Don't you wanna stay?"

Troy held Gabriella to him, not wanting a single inch of space to come between them. One hand stroked her hair and he held her eyes with his own, looking into her soul, daring her not to understand that this was how he was feeling.

"Let's take it slow; I don't wanna move too fast

I don't wanna just make love; I wanna make love last

When you're up this high…it's a sad goodbye…

Don't you wanna stay here a little while?

Don't you wanna hold each other tight?

Don't you wanna fall asleep with me tonight?

Don't you wanna stay here a little while?

We can make forever feel this way…

Don't you wanna stay?"

She did want to stay. She really did. But she didn't want to be rash in that kind of decision. She wanted the love they'd found to last. She wanted them to make decisions with clear heads and open eyes. She didn't want there to be any regrets or resentments.

"Oh yeah

Oh, it feels so perfect baby

Don't you wanna stay here a little while…

Don't you wanna stay here a little while?

Don't you wanna hold each other tight?

Don't you wanna fall asleep with me tonight?

Don't you wanna stay here a little while?

We can make forever feel this way…

Don't you wanna stay?"

Forever. Could they make forever feel this way? Of course, Troy hoped so. But he had hoped so before. Still, looking back honestly, he knew it hadn't felt strongly mutual. He had just really wanted it to. And now, well, he wanted it to last but they had to prove to themselves that it could. He needed to be patient. He needed to allow the inevitable pain of separation to give them the best chance of never needing to separate again.

"Don't you wanna stay?

Yeah, yeah, yeahhh

Yeah, yeah, yeahhh"

Gabriella's eyes glazed over and she swiped at the hot tears she felt escaping onto her cheeks. With a shaky inhalation, she pulled herself together, quickly glancing back over Troy's shoulder and away from his face.

Troy felt her pain. He felt the stiffening of her body in his arms, even though she forcibly relaxed it a minute later.

"This sucks," he whispered hoarsely into her ear.

Gabriella nodded slightly.

"I mean, it's amazing and wonderful but it still sucks."

Gabriella choked out a small laugh and Troy pulled her even tighter to him in a hug, placing his head down in the crook of her neck. They just breathed each other for a few moments as the last strains of the music played.

"Are you ready to get out of here?" Troy asked softly.

"Yeah," she replied quietly a moment later. She was ready to spend her remaining time with Troy though she was also sad to say goodbye to Troy's family and the vineyard, not knowing when she might see them again. That "if" word wanted to sneak its way into her thoughts but she pushed it aside.

Troy and Gabriella made their way over to Troy's family and explained that they were going to gather their things. The Boltons and Francesca nodded and offered their assistance. Standing at Troy's car shortly after, they all said their goodbyes.

Gail, Jack, and Francesca each embraced Gabriella warmly.

"Till next time," Gail said softly, squeezing her gently.

"Yes," Gabriella responded in the same tone of voice, nodding her head reassuringly at Troy's mother as she released her.

"It has been a pleasure," Jack said kindly as he hugged her goodbye.

"Definitely," Gabriella responded with a sweet smile, before turning to the woman she felt had truly touched her life in such a short time.

"You're on your way. You both are," Francesca said meaningfully, referencing her words of a few weeks ago. Then, she added with a bit more sass "And I will be offended if you don't get my grandson out of here and spend a good many hours kissing him senseless."

Gabriella laughed and hugged the older woman gratefully. "I'll miss you, Francesca. It has truly been an honor getting to meet you and be inspired by you."

"I feel the same way about you, dear. Take care and I will see you soon."

Gabriella's lips curved upward to match Troy's grandmother's as they held each other's gaze before Troy quickly gave his mother and grandmother kisses and hugs and gave his father a quick hug as well. Then, he helped Gabriella into the car and slid behind the wheel, pulling slowly away from the house. Along with Gabriella, he looked back and waved to his family before focusing fully on driving them away. He glanced over at the beautiful woman next to him and saw the tears in her eyes intermixed with the faint smile on her lips. He reached over with his free hand and intertwined it with hers, squeezing lovingly. "I think that went really well. They loved you."

Gabriella squeezed back. "I loved them. I'm glad I was able to be a part of that."

"Me too."

* * *

They drove in peaceful silence for a few minutes and were back on the main road before Troy asked, "Is it okay with you if we stop over for the night in Sienna and just do the rest of the drive tomorrow or would you prefer to drive longer tonight and spend the night in Florence?"

"Florence is wonderful but Sienna's closer and I _am_ ready to fall into bed."

"Tired?" Troy asked, slight disappointment underlying his tone.

"No," Gabriella answered with an alluring, sideways smile.

Troy returned it with one of his own, pressing his foot a bit more firmly to the gas pedal. Gabriella looked out over the darkened land as Montalcino became part of the distance. She had once again enjoyed the small town though her time there had been brief. The day before, Troy had taken her around so that she could explore a bit more. She had felt captivated by the charm of the beautiful hilltown, its imposing fortress, its friendly, limited population, and its lush green surroundings. And she naturally now held a special place in her heart and memory for it too. She let her special memories play over again in her head for the remainder of the drive.

Eventually arriving at a small inn, they obtained a room and locked themselves into it for the night. They made love as they had the first time, with no hurry, enjoying every moment, memorizing every nuance of the other. Afterward, they kissed softly and slowly for some time until sleep overtook them. Several hours later, they awoke and made love again. In the morning, Gabriella lay naked in his arms enjoying the strength of him and the warmth. She studied his face, loving every feature there. All was still and quiet in the room, the only sounds being their own breathing and mother nature doing her loving work outside.

"It's raining. Isn't that good luck?" Troy murmured several minutes later, eyes still closed as he worked to begin coming out of his sleepy haze.

Gabriella smiled and thought about this. She had heard that rain was associated with good fortune, and not just on wedding days. "Maybe it is." She gazed at him several more moments thinking further. When he opened his eyes and stared back at her, she shared her thoughts. "Rain is cleansing and refreshing. It gives life. Falling in love with you has been like the rain for me."

Troy's eyes held hers and his lips curved upward. "For me too."

"No regrets…despite this evening…and no matter what comes after."

"No regrets," Troy agreed, sinking his hand into her wild morning hair and pulling her to him for a kiss.

They ordered up a modest breakfast and enjoyed it in bed.

"That first morning, the day after we met, when you arrived with Ivan, it irritated the hell out of me. I didn't even quite know why then but it did."

"Well...you irritated the hell out of me," Gabriella responded with a laugh. "And you looked good doing it...which irritated me even more!"

Troy chuckled and shook his head, then turned solemn. "I'm really glad we got over ourselves enough to be ourselves."

Gabriella smiled and leaned forward. "Well said, Signor Bolton," she agreed before placing a soft kiss on his lips.

"And, Gabriella, I'm sorry for the path I was on before I met you...and before I really got to know you...because you deserve better than that."

"Thank you for that, but Troy, we've both changed. We've helped each other do so. If we were perfect, we wouldn't fit so well together."

"I know but...well…you're the only woman I'm going to remember from this tour."

Gabriella nodded, acknowledging this, then smiled. "I have no intention of letting you forget."

To this, Troy grinned as well. He gazed at his girlfriend for a long moment and then started to move his plate away, placing it on the nightstand. "You know what I have no intention of?"

"Hm?"

"Finishing this breakfast."

Gabriella giggled. "But it's a perfectly good breakfast."

"And I have something else perfectly good in mind," Troy teased, inching closer to her.

She set her fork down and let him put her plate next to his. Then his lips were on hers and their bodies were falling softly back onto the bed. She remembered how it had felt that first time they'd done this, when they'd kissed for the first time with no pretense, when they'd both acknowledged that they wanted to, that there was something there. Of course, Troy didn't stop anything this time. But she now appreciated so much that he had then, that he had wanted more and had given her time to realize she did too.

Troy deftly untied her robe and slid his hands beneath it across the soft flesh beneath. He thought of San Gimignano and her wearing his robe after she'd blown the fuse in her room. It had been kind of a turning point for them. They had started to really get to know each other and their comfort level had increased. Well, except for the discomfort, he thought, smiling to himself. He remembered how tightly she'd held that robe to her initially. It was quite a different story now...

Gabriella savored every touch, every kiss he offered. She memorized the way their bodies moved together. She held nothing back.

Troy felt the sting of it, sheer pleasure mixed with the pain of their impending separation. He kissed her deeply, pulling away as they both cried out. Collapsing into each other, they lay there taking shallow breaths, not wanting to move. Slowly, Troy pulled back. He saw the tears that wet her eyelashes and clung to her flushed cheeks even as she offered him a beautiful smile. Not having any words, he kissed the tears. Gabriella ran her fingers gently through his hair and he met her eyes. "No regrets," she whispered. He shook his head and then kissed her lips.

* * *

After a slow shower together and more lingering kisses, they reluctantly got dressed and left the inn. The drive to Florence was uneventful. The rain had let up, making way for the sun, and they enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the way. They grabbed a late lunch at a ristorante overlooking the city and then Troy drove them to the airport.

After getting checked in, Gabriella and Troy milled around a bit, grabbing cappuccinos at the small airport's caffe and people watching, generally postponing the inevitable. But as Gabriella's boarding time approached, it became all too clear that they needed to face their goodbye. Standing near security holding hands, they turned to face one another.

"Troy, you know…"

"I do." And he did. He knew that she was warring with herself about getting on that plane as much as he was warring with himself about letting her.

Gabriella nodded solemnly, trying to keep the floodgates from opening. She feared once she started she wouldn't be able to stop. "I'll email once I land back in Chicago and we can Skype tomorrow."

Troy nodded, forcing himself to smile. Before he could say anything, an announcement for Gabriella's flight came over the PA system. His eyes met hers and he saw the alarm flash across her face and her eyes begin to well up despite her best efforts. He blinked, feeling wetness on his own eyes.

"It's NOT over, Gabriella. It's just beginning. We're going to figure this out, okay?"

"Okay," she sniffled.

"And we're going to make our computers blush with our Skyping."

Gabriella laughed through her tears, causing Troy's own lips to curve briefly.

He leaned in and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, Gabriella Montez."

"I love you, too."

"Trust it," he said, holding her eyes for a long moment. She nodded and then he kissed her, their lips clinging and the sound of each other's breathing louder to their ears than all the din around them. Pulling back slowly, Troy ran his fingers down through her hair one more time and then helped her situate her carryon bag on her shoulder. He put his arm around her and walked her as far as he was allowed. Then, raising her small hand to his lips, he pressed a soft kiss to it. As his head rose once more, he smiled and she returned it.

"I'll talk to you soon," he said softly.

"Soon," she agreed, leaning forward for one last chaste kiss. And then she turned and, following a brief squeeze, he released her hand, their fingers trailing over each other before fully separating.

He watched her take her steps away from him and felt his heart sink as he uttered quietly "Arrivederci, il mio amore."


	31. Chapter 31

**Escape to Love Chapter 31**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-) Nor do I own Channing Tatum, though if he wanted to dance for me, I would not complain one bit.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Thanks to everyone for your continued patience and readership and for your amazing reviews, which make me smile and fuel me on. :) Well, I hope you don't mind (and I doubt you will) but I didn't really wish to chronicle their time apart in the same detailed, day by day kind of way I did the tour. So, instead, we'll see snippets/moments/scenes...however you wish to describe them. You'll see what I mean. :) Randomly, I just realized that our real life Troy and Gabriella were just recently in Venice, Italy (film festival). It seems even more appropriate that I post this chapter now. ;) Oh, and Erin...computers blushing below...heh heh.

* * *

Previously:

_"Dear Juliet,_

_You must have wondered at times why it was your fate to fall in love with someone it seemed so difficult to be with. Albeit, my situation does not involve our families feuding, though I wonder if it will if this works out between us and one of us has to leave them far behind. And I should hope that no deaths would come about from our love for one another...although if Katherine, Luca, or Michael should be stricken with some nasty cases of bodily fungus, I wouldn't feel too sad. Anyway, what I'm saying is that I'm not trying to be overly dramatic about our situation, but I am scared. I never expected to fall in love on this trip and now that I have, I'm so happy and so conflicted all at once. Do I leave my family and friends, my country, probably my job too and move here to be with him, to see what kind of life we can have together? Do I ask him to do all of this instead? Is that fair at all knowing he has done it before for someone who didn't appreciate it as she should have? He deserves to have someone make that leap for him, but I don't know if I'm strong enough. Is there some happy medium I'm just missing? I don't know how to make this work, but how do I not make it work? I want this man in my life. I think he could be the one, my forever, my Romeo. I don't want it to end badly...I don't want it to end at all. So, please help, Juliet! If you have any advice to offer, I would love to receive it. Thank you for listening and thank you for being you!_

_Sincerely,_

_Gabriella Montez"_

and

_He watched her take her steps away from him and felt his heart sink as he uttered quietly "Arrivederci, il mio amore."_

* * *

The quietly spoken words circled through her tired mind as the plane landed on the tarmac at O'Hare. She'd heard him. She had kept moving and hadn't glanced back for the sake of keeping it together but she had heard him. _Goodbye, my love_. Those soft words whispered from his beautiful lips. She'd felt the ache from deep within the entire trip. She'd tried to sleep to get her through the flights and for the most part, it had worked, though she still felt exhausted.

As she disembarked from the plane, she pushed through the routine motions of collecting her bags and getting through customs. Once in the international arrivals terminal, she turned at the sound of her mother's happy yet concerned voice.

"Gabriella! Gabriella! Oh, baby, it's so good to see you," Maria exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her only daughter lovingly.

Gabriella couldn't help but smile a little despite the emotional weight she felt following her journey home. "It's good to see you too, mom." She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see her dad smiling back at her, arms open wide. She smiled back and stepped into them, appreciating the strength of his embrace. "And you too, daddy."

Once in the car, her parents kept the conversation light, talking about their pesky neighbors and local news stories. Leaving her at her apartment, Maria did pause and touch her daughter's arm. "Do you want us to stay? Are you doing okay?"

"No, I'm...I'll be okay. Thanks though."

Maria nodded. "You know I'll be here with ice cream and cookies in an instant if you want to talk or just generally cope poorly."

Gabriella laughed briefly. "Thanks, mom. I know. I'm sure I will take you up on that...just not today, okay?"

Maria nodded with understanding and gave Gabriella one more hug. Carlos leaned in and gave her a kiss on the forehead, then squeezed her hand before turning and exiting the apartment, her mother following suit.

Gabriella closed the door behind them and looked at the time. Yep, he'd still be asleep as she'd anticipated. As she'd said she would, she got her laptop out of her carry on and booted it up, plopping down on her couch to type him an email.

"Troy,

I'm here. I don't know if I entirely want to be but I am. I thought that by the end of the tour I'd be so ready to get home to my own bed and everything but then you happened and it's just not that comforting after all. Anyway, miss you a ton already. Can't wait to Skype later. I should grab food but I think I'd rather grab a nap. :) Chat with you soon!

Love,

Gabriella"

Hitting send, she sat back and stared at the computer screen. She had an email from Nancy about a few minor revisions to her article. She would need to take a look at those but she didn't feel motivated to do so at this very moment. She had an evite to a friend's housewarming party and several retailer emails. She scanned them quickly. She was sure Shar would be suggesting retail therapy to help her perk up. She was about to close the laptop and go crawl into bed when she heard the telltale ring. She felt her heart flutter as the box popped up in front of her with his picture on it. She moved her finger excitedly to answer the Skype call and then waited the unbearable three seconds for his face to come up on her screen.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" she exclaimed, grinning widely.

"I had this hot date I wanted to be early for," he replied smoothly, showing off his pearly whites as well.

Gabriella giggled. "Yeah, well, your date probably isn't lookin' so hot after hours and hours of travel."

"Mmm...I'm gonna have to disagree with you there. She's lookin' smokin' hot as usual." The corners of her lips rose. "You look beautiful, Gabriella."

"Thank you. You look pretty damn handsome yourself."

"I try," he joked, shooting her a cocky grin reminiscent of when they'd first met. It didn't bother her one bit now; it only made her laugh. "So, aside from being long, how was the trip back?"

"Good. Smooth flights. I did get to sleep some." She didn't mention the ache from leaving him. She knew he already understood that.

"And your parents picked you up?"

"Yep."

"Bet they were real glad to have you back."

Gabriella nodded. "It was good to see them too. I'm glad it was them picking me up."

"As opposed to Sharpay, Taylor or Kelsi?"

"It's not that I'm not excited to see them again. It's just that, well, they're gonna pounce."

Troy laughed. "Without claws, I'd hope," he joked.

She shook her head at him, a small smile playing at her lips. "They're adept at digging without claws."

"What don't you want them to find?" he asked, his tone curious and more serious.

"It's not like that, Troy. I'm happy with all that's happened with us. They're going to be too. But they're going to ask me questions I have no answers to and even if they refrain from that at first, they're still going to ask me for details that are just going to make me miss you that much more."

Troy nodded his understanding and then ran his fingers through his hair in a helpless gesture. "You saying things like that is making me miss you that much more."

A smile lit up Gabriella's eyes. "Really? You're kinda easy," she teased.

"You know it." He chuckled. "So, your parents didn't press you much?"

"No. They just let me know they were here for me."

"No mention of your underwear littering issues then?"

She felt the crimson creep onto her cheeks at the memory. "I highly doubt that is actually going to come up again with them."

"That's probably best. I'd like to stay on your dad's good side."

"What makes you think you're on it now?" she couldn't resist teasing.

"Oh, he loves me. Or, at least, he loves my car. Same thing really."

"He emailed you back?" She remembered Troy keeping good on his promise to email her dad photos of his lovely "Valentina."

"Yup. Don't tell your mom but if he disappears off to an airport in the near future, he's probably heading here for a date with a hot, curvy dark blue little number."

"This conversation is disturbing on so many levels," Gabriella deadpanned.

"Yes, well…I want your dad to like me. I'm willing to pimp my car out to achieve that."

"While I'm sure he appreciates your pimping," she paused, rolling her eyes at the absurdity of those words, "I'm pretty sure he's actually going to like you regardless of your car."

The smile on Troy's face slowly faded. "Are you sure? Because I'm not sure he'd think I've done right by you. Maybe your mom wouldn't think so either. I mean, I could have…" He searched for the appropriate words. "Been more old-fashioned, been more of a gentleman, taken things more slowly."

She shook her head at him. "No, you couldn't have. I wouldn't have let you."

He raised an amused eyebrow at her. "You are a persuasive little thing."

"I am," she agreed, grinning at him devilishly through the screen, wishing she could be there with him right now to persuade him to be less than a gentleman with her. She sighed inwardly. This longing for him, emotionally and physically, was only going to get worse as the days went on. She needed to be prepared for that. Seeing him watching her closely, she remembered what they were talking about and spoke again. "Troy…you're the guy they've been wanting me to bring home. You are a gentleman and you treat me well. And you're smart and funny and family-oriented and worldly and successful but still down-to-earth…and you make me happier than anyone else ever has. So, you just…need to let me…"

"What?" he asked softly.

"Bring you home."

There were several moments of silence as those words hung in the air. Then, Troy cleared his throat, which had tightened with emotion at his girlfriend's words. "What are your mother's favorite flowers?"

"Huh?"

"Your mother…what flowers does she like?"

"Umm, lilies. Calla lillies, in particular. Why?"

"I wanted to know what kind to bring her…when you bring me home to meet them."

The meaning sunk in. He really did want to be in her life, be part of her world. What they had wasn't just confined to a one month tour of Italy. She felt the wetness cloud her eyes, feeling both happy and sad about the situation.

"Shh…Gabriella, please don't. I can't… I want to kiss those away, but I can't right now."

She wiped at the tears that had spilled over onto her cheeks. She took a few slow breaths and then met his eyes again. "It's okay. They're the good kind."

Troy's lips curved slightly. "I still want to kiss them."

Her lips curved to match his and then, involuntarily, she let out a small yawn. She put her hand up to cover it but saw that Troy had not missed it anyway.

"You should go grab that nap, beautiful."

Reluctantly, she determined he was right and she knew he must be tired too. "You should get to sleep too."

Troy nodded. "It won't be the same without you. I've gotten rather used to an arm or other appendage falling asleep because you're on it."

"And I've gotten used to waking up with barely any covers still keeping me warm because you've stolen them from me."

"Strategy really…I've warmed you up then, haven't I?" he asked with a wink.

"Yes. You have been kind enough to do so."

"You're right. I really am a gentleman." He knew the laughter he was now hearing was what he would take with him until the next time they talked. It continued to be one of his favorite sounds. When she quieted, they held each other's gaze for a few more quiet moments and then he spoke again. "I'll talk to you again soon."

"You better," she said softly, seeing his grin.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

The days that followed were a challenge for both of them as they continued about their regular lives but also kept their relationship going from afar. At the same time, they continued to separately contemplate their futures with the support of family and friends, all the while ever aware of the time they were missing with each other…

**Two days apart:**

"Gabi, Gabi, Gabi…way to overachieve on the little task we gave you," Taylor teased lovingly, looking over some of Gabriella's trip photos with a pleased grin, the same grin that graced the faces of her other two friends.

"You guys look so good together…and happy," Kelsi exclaimed.

"Yup, you can thank us again if you like," Sharpay chirped.

"Grazie," Gabriella responded with a smile, looking pointedly at each of her friends. She felt too sincerely happy about the gift they'd given her to care about their teasing. "I am so incredibly grateful that you each pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and do this. I've just had the best month of my life I think."

Kelsi let out a little squeal and clapped her hands together, making Gabriella laugh.

"We're glad. We're really glad, Gabs," Taylor responded.

After showing off some more of her photos, Gabriella could tell her friends were waiting expectantly for a bit more than she'd revealed so far. They were watching her closely, keeping themselves surprisingly in check. She bit her lip. "Okay, I know you guys have questions. Go ahead, ask."

"Well, I'd ask about the sex, but I think the whole best month of your life thing answers that," Sharpay said devilishly. "Feel free to tell us anyway though if you want."

Gabriella felt the heat rise from her neck to her face even though she'd anticipated this kind of comment. She suspected though that the heat had less to do with embarrassment and more to do with her body's reaction to her wealth of pleasant memories. "Yes, _best_ answers that."

The girls smirked at her with knowing looks, their brows raised, curious to see if she'd share more.

"Troy is, um, very generous…attentive…skilled. He is…not lacking in any way…and we, well…we're well-matched, I'd say."

"All code for 'this is the first time my legs have been together in weeks and I had so many orgasms, I didn't think my cooch would ever stop pulsing.'"

"Sharpay!" Gabriella backhanded her friend on the arm, making a face at her before she couldn't help herself and started laughing, which in turn set her friends off and they started laughing too. Catching their breaths minutes later, Gabriella waited for the inevitable other area of curiosity and concern to emerge. Taylor did not make her wait long.

"Gabs, where do you see this going? Have you talked about a future?"

"We've talked about the fact that we want one. We have similar wants…marriage…kids…et cetera."

"But you're seeing how well you two fare being apart from each other?" Kelsi clarified.

Gabriella nodded. "And we just, well, had real life to attend to. We couldn't just drop everything we already had going on to ride off into the sunset together like a happy-ending-in-two-hours-or-less date night movie." She felt a bit defensive though she didn't want to. The fact was that she had been asking herself repeatedly if she should have left. But then, knowing her reasons had been sound and that as much as her emotions were running high these days, she was not the type of person to not sit down and carefully consider the rest of her life with someone, she felt a bit more mollified. If her friends had noticed the edge to her comment, they didn't seem put off.

"Have you talked about any wheres or whens?"

"Are you leaving us, Gabs?"

"I honestly don't know. I know that he has some flexibility in terms of his career. He can teach, he can shoot, or any combo of both. He's said that while he loves certain places, it's more important for him to be with loved ones than to be in any one place. When I brought up his family, he made sure to make the point that they're not his only loved ones, that I am one now too."

"It sounds like he's open to doing what makes you feel happiest and most comfortable."

"That's the thing though…I'm trying to figure out what that would be."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I already feel like my happiness and comfort are intertwined with his. Meaning…if he moved here for me but wasn't as happy as he would be still back in Italy or in California where he grew up or whatever, I couldn't truly be happy keeping him where he didn't want to be."

"You really love him," Kelsi ascertained.

"Yeah."

"Then you're gonna be happy with him," Taylor proclaimed.

"I hope so, if we are meant to be."

"No, I think you are. What I mean is, you are going to be happy with him. It doesn't matter where. So, you figure out what you want to do and how and we'll help you any way we can. And if you are with him thousands of miles away, we'll be happy for you…and more than willing to come visit you. So, Mr. Wine and Roses better be prepared for that."

Gabriella smiled but then the smile faltered. "What if I'm not brave enough to make the kind of change I may need to to be with him?"

"Gabi, you're braver than you think."

"But if you need a kick in the ass, we'll be more than happy to provide it."

"And just know that we will not watch you turn into a depressed, dried up old cat lady just from fear. We'll put you on a plane first. We've been known to do that in the past…"

"Point taken."

"Okay, enough Lifetime television here. Where are our gifts? What'd you bring us?"

Gabriella laughed. Sharpay could always be counted on, one way or another. "Well, I think you'll be pleased…" And she proceeded to hand out the various souvenirs she'd gotten her friends over the prior weeks. She had missed them but they had again given her something she needed, their support and the additional confidence that brought her.

* * *

**A little over one week apart:**

"So, how's the workshop going?" Francesca asked, pouring her grandson another cup of espresso.

"Good. They're a pretty attentive and creative lot. That always helps."

"And how is Gabriella?"

Troy smiled. His nonna never wasted words. "She's good too. We talked this morning. Her article has run. It's been a roaring success."

Francesca nodded, smiling. "Yes, your mother said they've booked up through next Spring already."

Troy chuckled. "Yes, mom and dad are quite pleased."

"You know what would really please all those people booking right now?"

"What?"

"Two special guest tour guides," she answered with a mischievous smile.

"You sound like mom."

"Imagine that."

"Well, I'm not sure if Gabriella will want to come back to make an appearance."

"Just one appearance?"

"It's a lot of traveling otherwise."

"What makes you think she won't already be here?"

Troy eyed her curiously for a long moment. "What makes you think she will be?"

Francesca laughed. "I don't have any information you don't, Troy. I'm just making a guess about your future. That's all."

"Well, why do you guess that she'll be here?"

"Because I think she's discovering how brave she actually is and because I think she felt at home here too."

"You don't think...I mean, her family and friends and job..."

"Her heart, her future."

"But I could go to her."

"Is that your plan?"

"I...I don't have a plan yet."

"That's because you want your plan to be too perfect."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I know you and you don't have to know how you're going to get to the wife, the house, the dog, and the 2.5 kids right now."

"2.5?" Troy asked, amused.

"Pshh...you got my point."

"Did I?"

She clucked her tongue at him. "What do you want, Troy?"

"Um, wife, house, dog, 2.5 kids."

"Saccente."

"Why, thank you. I think my ass is rather smart."

Francesca groaned. "What do you want right now in your life? Don't overthink it."

"Gabriella."

This earned him a smile. "Is there anything you want more or need more?"

Troy swallowed. "No."

"Any reason you two shouldn't be together? Really?"

"No."

"Then, it seems to me you can put together a short term plan and go from there."

Troy thought about the weeks ahead and what he could do next. He had been tossing it around in his mind anyway but his nonna was right. He'd wanted more of a plan.

"I don't want you to put so much weight on your next moves that you never end up making them."

"I know."

"And what you do now doesn't have to be what you do a year from now or ten years from now or twenty."

Troy smiled at his wise older kin. "Thanks, nonna."

"Eh, it's what I'm here for."

"This and cookies."

"Saccente."

* * *

Gabriella sifted through her mail, setting aside bills in order of due date and tossing useless catalogs and credit card offers. Her fingers stopped when she reached an envelope that looked delicate and had air mail stampings on it. She had an inkling what it was before she opened it. She sat down on her couch, pulling the thin piece of note paper out and unfolding it carefully.

"Dear Gabriella,

I hope this letter finds you happy and no longer uncertain, but love is the most challenging, most wonderful gift and it does affect every part of our lives. It is life. And that is it. You need to decide if you will embrace life, embrace love, and you need to decide how. What will make your life full? Love of family-though family is defined in many different ways? Love of friends? Love of career? Love of the romantic kind? Though really, calling it that makes it seem unreal, and I believe you and I know it is something very real. Or maybe love is big enough to encompass them all. Maybe not for everyone. Is it for you?

I do not question my fate because love has made me understand the gift I received; for however short it was in humanly terms, I know it was eternal. You say "I want this man in my life" and I believe you. You do not think you are strong enough but I know this: love makes us stronger and shared love is shared strength. Decide what you want your life to be, what love you want to fill it and then follow a path to make it happen. And don't be afraid to change paths as love grows and changes. Just don't be afraid to follow one, in whichever direction your heart is leading you right now.

This is my advice and my wish for you.

Sinceramente,

Juliet"

Gabriella reread the letter, fingering her delicate necklace as she did so. She folded it back up and returned it to the envelope in which it had arrived. She went and placed the envelope on her nightstand; she was sure she would be reading it again several times. She walked to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, eyeing the photos of she and Troy she had printed and put on the refrigerator. She carried her water back into the living room and pulled her laptop onto her legs. Opening it, she started to view a slideshow of photos from her trip, trying to examine them objectively, trying to read truth in the experience, remembering the feelings within the moments. She tried to discount and discredit but she was not able to. It had all been very real. It was very real. She was in love. Troy was in love with her. She had found happiness in him and in Italy. In both, her spirit had felt free and caught all at once. Caught in a good way: caught and protected, caught and cherished, caught and encouraged, caught and inspired. She knew where her heart was leading her; it was leading her to his arms.

Reaching for her phone, she dialed the number she knew best. "Mom...hey. Can we have that ice cream now?"

* * *

**Two weeks apart:**

Troy was sitting in front of his computer, looking over the email that had just come through from Kelsi when he heard the familiar ping of the Skype call ringing in. It almost made him jump given what he'd been doing. He took a breath, closed the email so he wouldn't inadvertently share from it and clicked to connect the call.

"Gabriella, I can't see you."

"You're alone, Troy, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay." She moved in front of the computer, into his view.

He blinked before his eyes widened and his mouth went slack. "I don't think that outfit meets the dress code," he said, recovering.

"What outfit?" she asked slyly, seeing the smile grow wide on his face.

"Exactly."

"I miss being naked with you. Join me?"

Troy's eyes darkened with desire. He knew he had said they would make their computers blush with their Skyping but he hadn't actually been sure how comfortable Gabriella might be with that. He'd also just been so glad to talk with her on the phone or to see her beautiful smiling face over Skype that he had just cherished their conversations and hadn't thought overmuch about more. That certainly didn't mean he was complaining now though.

"I don't need to do a dance, do I?"

Gabriella laughed. "No, but I can't say I wouldn't like it if you did."

"Oh no...Channing Tatum can dance all he wants. I do not have those kinds of moves."

"Oh, baby," she said, fighting her urge to giggle, "you have the best moves."

He narrowed his eyes playfully at her and then humored her, backing away from the screen and giving his best male stripper impression to her delight. When he had finished, they both sat wearing only anticipatory grins. "And now?" he asked huskily.

"And now...tell me what you want to see," she responded, her voice husky as well.

Troy wet his lips. His cock, already at half mast, twitched with excitement. "I want to see your nipples harden further beneath your own fingers."

Gabriella made sure the laptop was positioned far enough back on the ottoman that the camera was capturing most of her body for him. Then, she slowly ran her hands up over her stomach, her ribs, and her breasts, stopping to cup and squeeze them. She watched him, saw that he was gazing intently, and let her fingers slide across her nipples. She slid them up and down and from side to side over the taut nubs, teasing herself. Then, she began to roll the dark nipples between her thumbs and forefingers, twisting and pulling to a pleasurable degree. "Is this what you had in mind?" she breathed, not allowing her eye contact with him to waiver.

"Yes. If I were there, I would have each of your nipples in my mouth, flicking my tongue over them again and again to make you pant with want."

Her breath hitched. "What else would you do?"

"I'd sink my fingers into your wet heat the way you're going to right now."

Her heart was racing in the most delectable way as she bit her lower lip and slid her right hand down between her breasts and over her abdomen before gliding her fingers into the sensitive cleft and over her sex.

"Now, push two fingers inside of you and tell me how wet you are."

She moaned as she did so, the sensation filling though not filling enough. "I'm so wet, Troy...and hot...my fingers slid right in. My walls are clenching them."

She knew his groan would come before she heard it. "Good. Now, pull them out." She did so. "Now, just light touches. Tease your clit."

She was so turned on, but this wasn't all about her. "I will, if I can see you wrap your hand around that big cock of yours." His sharp intake of breath almost sounded like a wheeze. He did as she requested. "You look so hard. I wish it was my hand. I wish I could suck you into my mouth."

"Gabriella…" His voice was rough with wanting. "Touch yourself. I want to see you get yourself worked up."

She did as he asked, gasping at times and feeling the heat pool within her at the feathery touches. "Stroke yourself, Troy, as though it were me riding you." She watched him spread the pre-cum from the head of his penis to the shaft, beginning a slow and steady stroke.

They continued on like this for another few minutes or so but Gabriella's breaths were coming more quickly and she was feeling close but not close enough. "Troy, I need…"

"I know, baby. Go ahead. Touch yourself the way you need to. The way I'm going to the next time we see each other."

She let out a strangled moan at his words and she increased the pressure and tempo of her own fingers, sinking them into her flesh and pulling them out, rubbing herself in the familiar patterns she knew would soon push her over the edge. She heard Troy's own harsh breathing pattern as his hand increased its tempo. She wanted to keep holding his eyes but the pleasure was becoming too intense and her head was thrown back against the sofa, her eyes shut and mouth parted. She knew he'd appreciate the look anyway.

"The next time we're together, I'm going to thrust into you over and over and squeeze your ass and feel you clench around me as you soak me with your juices."

"Troy…" she moaned.

"That's it, Gabriella. Come for me…and I'll…come for you."

She came undone, crying out as she did. From some high up place, past the rush in her ears, she heard him grunt, her name on his lips as he gave over to his pleasure as well. As she came down, the only thing that threatened the afterglow was her mind wondering when the next time they'd be together would be.

* * *

As Troy positioned himself and began snapping photos of the bride coming down the aisle, he couldn't help himself. He wondered what Gabriella would look like walking another aisle...to him. Then, he remembered she would soon be walking one, as Sharpay's maid of honor. He imagined her doing even that.

The rest of the day, he spent contemplating what type of vows he and Gabriella would do, what kind of first dance song they would choose, what kind of cake they would serve... He wondered which colleague of his he might entrust their wedding photography too. He wondered if an indoor or outdoor ceremony might suit them best. He wondered if Jennifer was doing some mind voodoo on him from the states.

He tried to clear his head and give his best to the couple who was smiling back at him through his lens. He was glad to have Mark and his second shooter, Giancarlo. He knew that between the three of them, there would be a lot of useable photos for the album he'd craft for the new Mr. and Mrs. The album. The prints. He sighed. People usually didn't think about the amount of work a photographer put in after the wedding. He knew this one would keep him busy for some time. Time he'd want to be spending talking with Gabriella and figuring out how to be with her.

* * *

**Three weeks apart:**

"Gabriella. Earth to Gabriella!"

Gabriella blushed and winced, looking up apologetically at her friend. "Sorry, Shar. You look beautiful. What were you asking?"

Sharpay's look of annoyance turned to a small smile. "Thank you. I was asking if you think you are going to have any trouble bustling the dress for me at the reception. I can have them go over the instructions for it again."

"Oh. I think I'll be fine but we might as well go over it again in case."

"Okay. I'll call them back in a minute." Sharpay studied her friend's reflection in the mirror. "My aunt is very pleased with you, you know."

"Oh...well, I'm glad I didn't let her down."

"You were never going to let her down. You're too good for that. You did exceed her expectations though."

Gabriella smiled to herself, pleased by the comment.

Sharpay continued. "You are her star now. She's so pleased with you, I'll bet she'd be willing to talk to you any day any time about what you want the future of your career to be."

Gabriella looked almost guiltily at the more fair-skinned face in the mirror.

"I know about the research you and Tay have been doing," said face stated.

"You just have so much with the wedding..."

"No, Gab, it's fine. And I do. But I'm still here for you if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay."

"And I mean it about my aunt."

Gabriella shot her a nervous smile. "You're right, Shar. I need to talk to Nancy."

* * *

**Four weeks apart:**

"Hey beautiful."

"Hey."

He heard the smile in her voice. He had chosen to just call instead of video chat. He didn't want his face to give anything away. He had been doing his research over the past weeks and talking with family, friends and colleagues and very soon he'd share with her how he thought they could move forward in their relationship. He had to reign in his excitement.

"Has Sharpay driven you insane yet?"

She emitted a half laugh, half groan. "Nearly, but I still love her."

"I can't decide whether that means you've held onto your sanity or not," he joked.

"Me either," she replied dryly.

"You've all recovered from this past weekend, right?" She had told him just how crazy Sharpay's bachelorette party had gotten and she had been too wrecked the day after to do more than send him a few texts. The day after that had still been miserable for all of the girls apparently.

"Yes, thankfully."

"I'm still in awe. It's a pity no one ever books me to cover their bachelor and bachelorette parties."

"No. It's not. No one needs that recorded. And you don't need to see that many strippers or less inhibited women."

He chuckled. "They do serve alcohol at most wedding receptions, you know."

"Oh, great. That's very comforting. Could you see through your camera with a paper bag over your head? Actually, scratch that. Start wearing a garbage bag with eye and nose holes cut out."

"No mouth hole?"

"Nope, some drunk girl could still accidentally fall onto your mouth."

This time, he laughed long and loud. "If you insist. Something tells me your attire for this weekend does not involve garbage bags though."

"No."

"You're going to look stunning. Can you please wear one of those 'Hello, my name is' stickers and just write in 'taken…back off' on it?"

Her giggle was music to his ears. "I'll do my best," she teased.

"That's all I can ask."

There was a moment of silence and then Gabriella spoke again. "Troy, after the wedding, I want to really focus on us. I miss you and…I think, well…I think we can figure this out."

His heart soared at the admission. "I know we can." He heard her contented sigh. "After the wedding," he added, the corners of his lips twitching as he thought about the possibilities and the promise of the days ahead.

"I love you."

"I love you more."

"You're so cocky. You don't have to one up me, you know?" He knew she was grinning.

"You love it. I'll just have to gather evidence to support my case."

"You do that."

"And you'll happily consider it?"

"Yes."

"Your cheeks are all flushed right now, aren't they?"

"Not at all."

"Liar."

"Don't you have wedding photos to process?"

Troy chuckled. "But you're such a welcome distraction."

"I am but you're under contract. Get back to work."

"Slave driver."

"Don't make me get out my whip."

"I'll bet your co-workers are wondering about that comment."

"I've already thrown the word 'strippers' out there. Obviously, I'm doing some kind of exposé. I'm so versatile like that."

"Indeed." He paused. He loved their banter but he really did have a lot to get done and he was sure she did too. "Have a great rest of the day."

"Thanks. Have a great rest of the night."

"Till next time."

"Till then."

Hanging up the phone, Troy felt his heart beating strongly in his chest. He needed to continue where he'd left off before the call. The phone rang again before he could move on to his next task.

"Hi honey."

"Hi mom."

"Do we still have a date for tomorrow?"

"Definitely."

"Good. Your father and I will see you then."

"Thanks, mom. Love you."

"Love you more."

As the line went dead, Troy grinned. Evidence to support his case…his mother had raised him right.

* * *

**A/N:** Teehee...since I am raising two boys, that last line tickles me a bit. ;) Also, yeah, the rating level you have come to expect from me played out in this chapter and may have angered the ff gods, so...I really don't know what'll happen to this story on here but if ff decides to nix it, I'll figure out what its alternative home will be. I'll post info on that on my profile if necessary or feel free to pm me if such should occur. Okay...we're getting so close, folks!


	32. Chapter 32

**Escape to Love Chapter 32**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-) I do not own Elizabeth Gilbert or "Eat, Pray, Love." This is purely a work done for leisure and not for profit and no copyright infringement is intended in the use of these characters, their setting, their dialogue or their situation.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Okay, ladies and gentlemen, aside from an epilogue and some additional fun bits, this is it. So, a few things:

1) I hope this will be something pleasant in your inbox but I don't want to underscore Hurricane Sandy. I hope that all of my readers are safe, warm & dry and that your loved ones are as well. More on this at the end of the chapter...

2) As I mentioned in the last chapter, I'm not sure if the story's lifespan on ff will be a long one or not. Things have seemed quiet but you never know. So, I do have a tumblr now. EverydayEscapeArtist dot tumblr dot com. I'll get all of my stories up there so that they are housed elsewhere for safety. Also, just come follow/visit/chat. :) I may also get an AO3 account next month and may explore AFF depending.

3) Conveniently timed, enjoy this treat for Halloween. :)

* * *

Gabriella smiled graciously at Tony as he let her in the side door she was now so familiar with. This was probably her last opportunity for alone time before the weekend's festivities kept her going nonstop till Monday. Nonstop on Sharpay's time. She made a mental note to buy more Advil for her purse tonight. Tomorrow was Thursday and would involve final calls or visits to vendors and the venues. Then, Friday would be massages (no complaints there), manicures, pedicures, the wedding rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. Then, Saturday was the big shebang and Sunday was the post-wedding brunch before seeing the happy couple off on their lavish honeymoon.

She toted her small insulated bag to a spot she loved right near the dolphin tanks. The glass wall showed the lower back half of the tank. The upper front half was where the dolphins and their trainers performed for audiences throughout the day in the various shows the aquarium put on. Most folks just watched the dolphins from up above before, during and after the shows but fewer folks came down here to see them further, though it was open to everyone. As a result, Gabriella usually found it to be a quiet, peaceful place where she could mull over her thoughts whilst enjoying the playful antics of her gray friends behind the glass. So, when the words drifted toward her ears, she was surprised first by the fact that someone was speaking them and then by the familiarity of them and of the voice that had formed them.

"When I look into your eyes, I hear dolphins clapping."

Her head whipped around and met the vibrant blue eyes that had caused her to quote those words weeks ago.

"I know. We keep borrowing Elizabeth Gilbert's line but maybe I'll do a photo session for her, make it up to her." His grin was the most beautiful thing she had seen since she'd left him. Or maybe his eyes were. Or maybe his whole gorgeous self was as it moved toward her steadily.

"What are you…? I mean… Oh, I don't even care!" she exclaimed, rising and flinging herself into his arms. She hugged him first, then kissed him, then hugged him again. As she pulled back, she felt the tears on her cheeks but wasn't bothered in the least by them. "Troy, seriously, how? You are real, aren't you?"

He laughed. That was the best sound in the world. "Yes, very real, Gabriella…and I'll be happy to show you just how real later," he teased, though his voice was husky with the truth to his words. "As to how, I told you weeks ago…frequent flyer miles."

"But…" She was shaking her head, incredulous.

"Are you complaining?"

"No! Never!"

"Then, come here and kiss me some more," he said, pulling her smiling face back to his.

Gabriella held tightly to him, lost in his kiss, the kiss she'd been trying to vividly remember every day she'd been away from him. Her imagination was really just sub-par when compared to the real thing. At some point, he picked her up and walked her back to the bench she'd been sitting on, which was in a little alcove next to the glass. He sat down with her on his lap and held her there, continuing to kiss her with the passion and longing that had built up within him during their time apart. Finally, coming up for air, they sat with their foreheads pressed together, their lips still only inches from each other. "I've missed you…so much," she whispered, daring to believe she wasn't imagining his presence.

"I've missed you too, more than I could really tell you but I hope you know. And I'm here now…"

"For how long?" she jumped in, pulling her head back to look at him more fully.

Troy took a long breath and then began slowly. "Well, I've spoken with the faculty president and it is too close for me to get out of teaching this semester. But if I give them notice soon, they can either replace me for next semester or keep me on in a different fashion like teaching webinars or online courses or the like. So, I can stay here for three weeks and then I have to go back. But if you're willing, I think we can do this. I know it stinks being apart but we do have a fall break. It's brief but I'd still fly here or you could come visit or whatever worked. And then after December, I can either keep teaching for them virtually or I can work here. Chicago Photography Academy, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Loyola University are interested in me. Kelsi also knows of this program through which photographers volunteer their time...and really, I could just do that for a while. I have a good savings and investments. I could just shoot weddings too or along with that. Really, it doesn't matter because what I'm saying is I just wanna be with you. And I'll be happy doing whatever if I am."

Troy realized that his explanation had gone on for several minutes and Gabriella looked like she wasn't sure how to process it all. She had tears on her lashes though and he hoped they were the good kind. "So...what do you think?"

Gabriella shook her head. She blinked through her tears. There was a smile that was forming on her mouth but her throat felt constricted with emotion. He was looking at her with such hope and fear and the first word she managed to blurt from her unsteady mouth was "no."

The look of hurt on his face registered immediately. "No," she said again quickly but with a different urgency. "What I mean is...I don't want you to give up your life in Italy for me." Now, he really looked crestfallen. This was not the way she'd planned this but he had shown up and changed all that.

"Gabriella..."

"Wait, Troy. I'm not done. I've done some research too. I've talked to Nancy and she's willing to let me try working remotely on a long-term basis. She's also willing to help get me published by our European affiliate. She has already set up a meeting with them to work out the details. I can write features for both magazines."

The smile began to curl on his lips. "What are you saying?"

She let her own smile form. "I'm saying…I'm planning another escape." She paused, watching his eyes begin to light up. "You wouldn't happen to want a roommate, would you?"

He stared at her incredulously. "You want to be with me...in Italy?"

"Yes! Si!"

The happiness threatened to overwhelm him but he was still trying to process it. He'd come here willing to change things for her and she was throwing him for a loop with the plans she'd been making on her own. "And you're sure? Because I meant it. I can come here."

"I'm sure."

He read the truth of her decision in her eyes, dark loving eyes seeing nothing but him right now. His lips collided with hers and she held him there a long while, tasting, teasing, exploring, loving. He felt so much and he told her so amidst the physical display of their affections.

"I love you." _Kiss._ "So much." _Kiss._ "You're so…" _Kiss._ "Beautiful." _Kiss._ "And Amazing." _Kiss._ "And I love you." _Kiss._ "Did I mention that?" _Kiss._

Gabriella broke away, laughing through happy tears. "You did. And would you give me a chance to say it please?!"

Troy chuckled. "Fine. Say it," he dared, voice low and deep.

She held his eyes, those beautiful blue oceans opening up a whole new world to her. She knew she forever wanted to be lost and found in them. "I love you." _Kiss._ "More." _Kiss._ "Don't argue."

He laughed. "Oh, but look where arguing has gotten us?" he teased.

"Mmmm…well, perhaps we can argue the point a little bit."

They probably would have sat in the alcove making out all afternoon if Gabriella's phone hadn't started dinging with texts.

_Sharpay: "Tell lover boy he's lucky I could squeeze him in next to crazy uncle Albert for Saturday. Just kidding - he's sitting with your parents. He'd better get right to impressing them. Ha!"_

_Sharpay: "P.S. I still need you the next few days! Don't get too lost in Big O Land! ;-P"_

_Nancy: "Your time off for the wedding starts effective immediately. My niece told me how 'busy' you'll be the rest of the day."_

_Taylor: "I dropped a present off for you at the aquarium. Did you get it yet? ;)"_

_Kelsi: "Having a good day so far? ;)"_

Gabriella stared at Troy curiously. "So, was everyone in on your plan? Do my parents know?"

"Yes and yes. Everyone was pretty willing to help me out. Kelsi has helped me with some of my research and Taylor picked me up from the airport and brought me here. And Sharpay, well, she was kind enough not to kill me for planning this in conjunction with _'the most important weekend of my entire life, Bolton, do not do anything to fuck it up'_ and to invite me to the wedding under the conditions that I _'treat you like the queen you are'_ and I '_bring that fancy ass camera and snap some damn magic'_ to supplement what her photographer does because, _'really, it's the least I can do making her rearrange the seating chart that only took her months to complete to perfection.'_"

Gabriella was laughing so hard she nearly snorted. That sounded exactly like Sharpay but she was really pleased by her friends' willingness to help set this up and she was touched that they'd gone and surprised her again and that, again, it was exactly what she needed.

"And your parents," Troy continued when she calmed down, "are aware as well. We're having dinner with them at their place. I hope you don't mind. I didn't want them to go any longer without actually meeting me and they kind of felt the same…"

"I don't mind. They're going to love you. But are you going to be okay? Are you jet-lagged?"

"Not yet but I'm sure I will sleep plenty while you're doing the maid of honor thing the next two days."

"But not today?"

He ran his finger lovingly up and down her cheek. "No. Today, I have a lot of time with you…and ideas on how to fill that time."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I was hoping to go to Giordano's or Portillo's and see the bean again and do some shopping on Michigan Ave…" He trailed off, seeing the face she was making at him and laughed. "Or…maybe I'd just like to see that bed or that couch I've been looking at through the computer screen for the past month."

She smirked at him. "That can be arranged…the rest of it can be arranged too, but not right now." She slid from his lap and stood and he followed suit. Collecting her stuff, she took his hand and led him to her exit. Stepping out into the bright sunshine, she squinted up at him, smiling.

"Okay, tour guide, lead me wherever you want. I'm already with the main attraction."

"And these lines work for you?" she joked.

"I hope so," he responded, giving her an adorable grin.

She shook her head playfully at him. "Come on then, ab god."

"What?"

"Nothing…come on. We tour guides keep pretty tight schedules."

He laughed and let her lead him away from the building. He'd let her lead him anywhere.

* * *

Five hours later, they stood outside her parents' front door. Despite some earlier bravado, Troy looked a bit nervous. "It's going to be great, babe. Really."

"Thanks. I just…this means a lot. You mean a lot."

She sent a warm smile his way and squeezed his hand before putting her key in the lock and letting them in. As they made their way toward the back of the house, Maria stepped around the kitchen island to greet them. "Hi, baby," she said, hugging her daughter briefly before turning to the man next to her. "Troy…welcome!"

Before he knew it, he was enveloped in the elder Montez female's arms as well. "Thank you. I'm so glad to be here and to get to meet you in person."

"We're so glad of that too. Come, have a seat, make yourself at home."

Troy smiled and nodded and then remembered what he held in his arms. "Oh, these are for you, Mrs. Montez."

"Calla lilies! They're my favorite. Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

"And call me Maria. Carlos'll be in in a minute. He's just tending the grill."

"Okay." Gabriella led him to sit next to her on a cushioned wicker love seat in the sunroom while her mom went to put her new flowers in a vase. She bumped shoulders with him and winked when he looked down at her, causing his lips to curl up into a reactionary smile.

"So, Troy, I take it Gabi was pretty happy to see you when you surprised her earlier," Maria teased, entering the room once more and seating herself on a chair diagonal to the love seat.

Troy turned his smile to Gabriella's mother. "Not as happy as I was to see her."

"Oh, there you go being competitive again," Gabriella admonished lightly. "Yes, mom, I was incredibly happy. How in the world did you keep this a secret from me?"

Maria shrugged slyly. "I felt motivated. And I'm pleased for you, mija, for both of you."

"Thank you, Maria."

"Thanks, mom."

"Hey! My favorite dinner guest brought an import with her! Or would you be an export technically since you are from here?"

"Daddy! My favorite grill master," Gabriella responded, rising and moving to give her dad a hug. "He's just Troy."

"Just Troy?" Carlos mocked her, voice humored and one eyebrow raised.

"My Troy," she corrected. "And he's a little bit of both I guess, import and export."

Carlos turned his attention to the man her daughter had referred to so possessively.

"Hello, Sir. I'm Troy Bolton. It's very nice to meet you."

Two strong hands met halfway, two serious and sincere faces regarding each other. "I'm not sure I feel the same."

Troy felt the lump start to form in his throat.

"She's only supposed to smile for me that way." Carlos broke out into a grin and released Troy's hand, giving him a jovial slap on the shoulder.

Troy breathed an inner sigh of relief and chuckled at the older man's joke.

"So, now that we've gotten the first few of my husband's odd jokes out of the way, why don't we have a drink? Troy, I have the wine you had sent to us. Would you mind helping me open a bottle?"

"Sure, Maria. Happy to."

Troy followed Maria back into the kitchen and Gabriella found herself with a few minutes alone with her dad. "You're jump-up-and-down-happy right now, aren't you, baby?"

Gabriella sent her father a warm smile. "I am, dad."

He nodded. "Okay. And you're sure about your decision?"

She nodded, eyes unblinking and sincere. "I'm certain. This is what I want."

He regarded her for a few silent moments and then nodded again. "Well, then I'd best get to know your Troy a bit better."

"I'd like that, dad. He'd like that too."

"I know, Gabi."

"Don't talk about cleaning your gun or anything."

"I don't have a gun."

"I know that. I'll make sure he knows it too, so don't get any ideas."

"Spoilsport."

Gabriella laughed. "Do your dad thing. I wouldn't have it any other way. Just…don't go overboard."

"My word, I have a bossy daughter."

"Yeah, I must get that from mom, huh?" She lifted her eyebrows at him and then smirked.

Carlos shook his head lovingly at his daughter. "I don't know why you're trying to keep me in check. It's you that boy should be worried about."

"Well, don't tell him that!" she whispered conspiratorially, enjoying this mutual light ribbing with the man she would always love unlike any other. And then the man she had discovered a distinctly different kind of love for entered the room, laughing with her mother, and her heart set to fluttering. He knew he was charming. He knew that women found him charming. But seeing him charm her mother…it felt right. It felt like holidays to come. It felt like just what she wanted.

* * *

Later, after dinner and a good deal of enjoyable storytelling from each of them about the Escape tour, Troy's upbringing, Gabriella's childhood, and Carlos and Maria's youthful adventures, amongst other topics, Gabriella and Maria disappeared into the kitchen and Troy followed Carlos out onto the deck as he cleaned and covered the grill. After some light conversation about the landscaping in the yard, good grill seasoning, football, and fast vehicles, Carlos got around to the conversation they'd both been anticipating but had been putting off.

"Troy, I like your taste in cars and that you can appreciate motorcycles too. I like that you help with your family's businesses but that you are also ambitious and hard-working enough to have a successful one of your own. You seem like a good guy. But that's my only daughter in there. And she loves you...enough to move to another continent to be with you. So, please be clear on this. It doesn't matter how much I like you right now. If you hurt her, we will have a problem. A big one. Do you understand?"

Troy nodded solemnly. "Yes, sir."

"Good."

"The truth is," Troy ventured, "I think if there's any hurting to be done, it will have to come from her. I don't want it to. I'd like to believe it won't. But I'm just saying…I'm all in. I love your daughter. This is as real as it's ever been for me."

"I'm glad to hear it, Troy. And if it helps, Gabriella doesn't give her heart halfway. You have it fully. Don't ever take that lightly or take it for granted."

"I won't."

"Okay."

"Thank you, sir."

"Carlos. Or maybe I should have you call me Señor. That's right, isn't it?"

"Yes. Si, Senor."

The older man let out a hearty chuckle. "Nah. Just Carlos."

Troy nodded, returning the grin of the man who was, with few but meaningful words and an easy sense of humor, welcoming him into his daughter's life, into their family's life.

* * *

Having said goodnight to her parents and promising to see them at the wedding, Gabriella drove back to where she and Troy had been earlier in the day. "Now, tell me again why I was supposed to pack an overnight bag and why you wanted to come back to the aquarium, Troy."

Troy eyed her with amusement, turning and stepping out of the car's passenger door. In the midst of an enjoyable conversation earlier, in which she'd both questioned and encouraged Troy, Maria had helped him to sneak a few things he had needed into the trunk of the car in addition to what he'd had his girlfriend pack before they left her apartment that afternoon. With this in mind, he asked Gabriella to open the trunk and, curious, she did so. Coming 'round to the back of the car, she saw that her trunk now had items that she knew weren't there the last time she'd opened it. She turned her wide eyes to the man before her, now holding the two sleeping bags from the trunk under one arm and reaching for a picnic basket with his other hand.

"We're sleeping…here?"

"Well, not in the parking lot. Inside. Just like when you were a kid…although slightly different, I hope," he finished with a wink.

She shook her head disbelievingly at him. "You remembered that?"

"It sounded like a lot of fun."

She smiled at him and he returned it, handing the basket to her. She took it and he shut her trunk, going over to the back passenger door and retrieving the overnight bag they'd thrown in the back seat, which he had tossed a few of his own items into when she'd packed it. They made their way to the front doors and a night security guard let them in. Troy tipped him discreetly and led Gabriella further in past the initial exhibits. Then he turned to her. "So, where should we set up camp, so to speak? Your choice?"

Gabriella thought about this for several moments and then turned and led the way to an area of the aquarium that was pretty popular and was usually alive with people wanting to experience it.

"Nice," Troy remarked as he set their things down and looked through the glass above and to either side of them.

Gabriella smiled. "I do love my dolphin spot but it is usually quiet on any given day and since I never get to experience this part of the aquarium in peace like that, I thought it might be the best spot to enjoy tonight."

Troy approached her and placed his hands on her hips, pulling her close. "Well, it's all ours till morning. Just you, me and…fish, sharks, coral…turtles?"

She giggled, seeing his head rotate around as he took in all the sea life surrounding them. When he returned his attention to her, she leaned up and kissed him. "I love that we're doing this."

"Me too."

"Do you want to see more of the aquarium?"

"Eventually."

She met his eyes and saw the sparkle in them as he pushed her slowly backwards toward the glass. Then his thumbs slid under her shirt to stroke her belly lightly and she felt the warmth spread throughout her. He leaned down and captured her lips once more, tasting them thoroughly before dragging his own over her cheek and jaw to her neck. She moaned as he swirled his tongue over that sensitive spot behind her ear and sucked in a breath when the whispered words "let's give them a show" reached her conscious mind. She pushed him away slightly so she could see his face. "Them? The fish?" Troy nodded, his expression rakish. "Can we even? Security must be monitoring everywhere."

Troy inclined his head toward one of the more obvious cameras in the area and as they both observed it, the red light on it flicked off and Troy smiled. "Security has been compensated generously to have some holes in tonight's recorded feed…unless you want to have the camera on and pay for the start of a private viewing collection instead."

Gabriella's eyes widened, surprised that the idea wasn't entirely unappealing.

Troy laughed, reading her. "Oh, you do!"

"No, no…not here with random guards viewing."

"But at home?"

She couldn't help but smile at the simple word that meant so much to their future. "Maybe, sometime."

He chuckled. "I'll never tire of being surprised by you."

"At some point, I may not be surprising ever again."

He shook his head thoughtfully. "I seriously doubt that. But for now, where were we?"

Gabriella accepted the heat of his mouth on hers again, swiftly followed by the pleasure of his hands roaming her body. She helped him as he divested her of her garments and rid himself of his own as well. Troy moved them to a raised carpeted platform, used sometimes by aquarium guides to educate guests during scheduled feeding times. He knelt down and had her stand in front of him, legs apart and hands braced against the glass, looking out into the vast liquid blue. His hands cupping her ass, he brought his mouth to her, his tongue working her until he had to support her weight more fully so she wouldn't fall as she climaxed. Then he stood, carried her back down the couple stairs, pressed her back up against the glass, pulled her legs up around his own and filled her with his hard length.

Earlier, at her apartment, while they'd had the urgency of a month's worth of their need for one another, they had still been more gentle, more careful with each other, perhaps still trying to ensure that neither was just a dream and trying to re-memorize every part of the other person. This urgency was a bit different. It was still a rediscovery of each other but it was coupled with excitement for where they were and the abandon they were showing in spite of it and elation at things progressing successfully for their relationship. When she wasn't kissing him or entirely lost to sensation, she did take in the water all around them and its colorful inhabitants swimming by, barely paying them much notice despite what they were doing. The glass felt cool and dry against her bare back and Troy felt deliciously hot and moist against the front of her body. She used her limbs to try to pull him even closer and further into her. He grunted with his effort as he met her unspoken demands and met her with shorter, tighter thrusts, nurturing an initially torturous but soon satisfying friction between them. They cried out together as they reached a shared bodily bliss.

As their senses slowly dulled, Troy released his grip on her thighs and she felt her feet touch the ground once more. Still leaning heavily against the glass, her lips sought his and he offered them happily. They kissed and caressed one another until their bodies calmed sufficiently. Troy picked her up and carried her sweetly over to the nearby restrooms, where they separated for a few moments to freshen up. Then, they redressed, rehydrated with a shared bottle of water and set off to explore some of the building's other exhibits. They oohed and ahed passing through the Amazon rainforest section and spoke sweet words to the dolphins who curiously swam by the glass in Gabriella's thinking spot. They kissed in the glowing light of the unique jellyfish calling the aquarium home and laughed unabashedly at the antics of the frolicking sea otters. They crawled into the kid sized submarine in the Polar Play Zone and played like six year olds, then waved to groups of penguins, watching closely for them to break out into dance or song. And they just held to each other throughout their mini journey as they pointed out everything from frogs to eels to manatees to sea stars to sting rays.

Back at their chosen spot, they unzipped and spread out the sleeping bags like blankets atop each other and sat down on them. They snacked on grapes, cheese, crackers and cookies and drank wine from borrowed glasses. They talked about Gabriella's article, about Troy's workshop and the wedding he'd shot, about Francesca's wisdom, and about Sharpay's threatened war with the understudy who was too eager to take her place in her most recent play. They talked about how John, Jennifer, Johanna and Ivan were doing and about others who had stayed in touch since the tour. They talked about the current sleepover experience and about other unique experiences they'd had or would like to have. They just enjoyed the ability for true face to face conversation once more after their time apart. And when conversation gave way to nonverbal communication and longing and desire once again converged with opportunity, they didn't waste a moment on modesty and enjoyed every kiss and every touch they'd fervently hoped they hadn't given up forever.

After, as they lay fatigued but contented between the slippery soft material of the sleeping bags, they spoke softly about their plans for the coming months.

"What I said earlier, about you wanting a roommate, we don't actually have to do that if you don't want. I mean, I can get my own place," Gabriella offered uncertainly.

"Is that what you want?"

"I…I just…I'm not sure how our relationship is supposed to progress now. I mean, we haven't been typical, so to speak. We fell for each other pretty fast and now we've been apart for a month. I don't know if I'd normally move in with a guy after only a couple months…but then again, I wouldn't normally fall in love with one after only a few weeks or, ya know, move to Europe because being without his kisses for a month has been embarrassingly excruciating."

Troy's lips curved as he studied her thoughtfully. "I don't think 'supposed to' applies, or rather, I don't think it should. At least, that's what I think nonna would say," he joked, grinning and listening to Gabriella's soft laugh in response.

"Mmm, nonna, she'd be a fabulously fun roommate."

"I _will be_ a fabulously fun roommate. Live with me. I want to fall asleep and wake up next to you. I want to pick on you for your awful cooking…"

"Hey! I can cook…some things…"

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I want to argue about who should've put the clothes or the dishes away. I want more sappy chick flicks to worm their way into the dvd collection." She was smiling at him widely. "Say yes. It doesn't have to be my current apartment either. If you want, we can get a different one or rent out a townhouse or villa or whatever to start. I want it to be every bit your place and for you to feel comfortable but, yeah, I want to be there with you."

"And if I say no?" she challenged, hoping he could see through her teasing.

"Then I'll just camp out outside your door, make your neighbors miserable, not very subtly place 'his' and 'hers' towels in your bathroom."

She pinched his side playfully. "You are ridiculous."

"I am still waiting for an answer."

She held his gaze for several moments, her dark orbs sharing her answer before she verbalized it. "Yes."

His lips were on hers before she could say anymore but when he released her, she spoke again. "Your apartment's convenient to the college and I like it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"You can do anything you like to it."

"Paint the bathroom Pepto Bismol pink?"

Troy screwed up his face in disgust. "Almost anything. And purple's more your style anyway."

"Oh, so you want purple? Noted."

His hands found her ticklish middle and she squirmed happily under his deft fingers for a minute. "I didn't say I wouldn't exact a remodeling tax of sorts."

"Mmm…we will have to negotiate, Señor Bolton."

"I look forward to it."

Gabriella brought her hand to his cheek and leaned forward to join her lips to his again. They kissed for a long while and then, feeling sleepy, finally settled, Gabriella turning so that her back was pressed to Troy's chest, her bottom comfortably cradled against his pelvis. His arm was slung around her and his hand entwined with hers. Their breathing evened out and they soon drifted off to the vague soothing sounds of aquatic life all around them.

* * *

Troy's phone alarm went off early in the morning and by instinct, he pressed "Snooze" and laid his head back down, trying to will it to not be time to get up yet. Before the alarm could sound again though, his breath caught in his throat as he felt her small hand snake its way between their bodies and grip his morning erection confidently. He buried his face further into her hair as she began to stroke him, awakening him with the sensation the action was producing. He slid his hand up over her abdomen to her breasts and heard her breaths become shaky as his fingers slid from nipple to nipple, pausing intermittently to pinch and tug in just the right way. When the alarm sounded again, he disabled it. Then, he tilted her toward him somewhat and rested some weight on his elbow as he ducked his head to her breast and sucked a hardened nipple into his mouth. She continued to touch him, her strokes halting at times as she enjoyed what he was doing to her. She squeezed harder to maintain her hold as his hand charted a course straight to her needy center, dipping into all of the wetness now there. He captured her moan with his mouth and turned her so that she was on her back while simultaneously propping his own body above hers. Still beneath the sleeping bag cover, it felt particularly intimate when he pushed inside of her. His head rested in the curve of her neck, his lips brushing her collar bone as he thrust and swelled and filled her. Her hands held tightly to him, her fingers pressing into his skin, sometimes almost painfully. The satiny material of the sleeping bags felt smooth and good against their skin and the sounds of the top and bottom bags skimming over one another mingled with the breathless sounds Troy and Gabriella were making, quiet whispered words and instinctual sounds of pleasure. He felt her release before succumbing to his own and they leapt together to that heightened place before falling back into the steady horizon of each other's arms.

"I could get used to this kind of wake up," he said, voice still husky with sleep, as he kissed her lips tenderly.

"Me too," she whispered against his lips before leading him back into another kiss.

* * *

Troy spent the rest of that day and the next day mostly resting and recovering from his jet lag. He enjoyed hanging out in Gabriella's apartment though and experiencing the variations of her wake up calls each morning. He smirked to himself just thinking about her head disappearing under the covers that morning. He already had notions of returning the favor soon. He looked out her living room window. It was Friday and the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner were tonight. He had told her he would catch a cab to the dinner. He didn't want to interfere with her maid of honor focus. He was pleased to be invited that night though and to the wedding the next night.

He looked around her comfortably appointed rooms. He wondered which items would make their way to Italy with her. He still couldn't quite believe she was moving there to be with him. He truly would have moved for her but it felt really good that she wanted to make that leap for him. Really, really good.

The day went by quickly and he was soon arriving at the restaurant, feeling nervous like he had two nights before. He was in the same position Gabriella had been in a little over a month ago, hoping to find acceptance and a place within already established friendships. She met him at the door, kissed him and took his hand, leading him inside to where the wedding party were starting on a round of drinks. The appraisals seemed positive as he received warm and knowing smiles. The women seemed very pleased with themselves and the men seemed good-natured and welcoming as he answered their questions and joined in their conversations and got to know them better. Taylor's boyfriend Chad, in particular, was a lot of fun and seemed like someone he could enjoy hanging out with sometimes. A friend he hadn't heard much about before, Martha, was a hoot. She confided that she planned to give the soon-to-be-wedded couple a gag gift, including strong allusions to having children soon like diapers, wipes, vienna sausages and gourmet liquid baby food, which she figured Chef Zeke would appreciate, a funny bib and a pacifier. Ryan, who Troy had heard briefly about in Italy, and his partner seemed like straightforward, likable guys too. Really, everyone was great though and it didn't surprise him that Gabriella would surround herself with intelligent, witty, genuine kinds of friends. Even Sharpay, with acerbic hints, unabashed ambition, and plenty of garishness was still real and likeable. He enjoyed watching Gabriella laugh with her friends, enjoyed hearing old stories about her and relished getting to be part of new ones.

"Bolton, have you seen the photos of Gabi's horrendous junior high perm? You should really be glad you met her after I helped get her style situation under control," Sharpay joked, nudging her maid of honor with her elbow.

Troy's bemused expression answered her question.

"Oh, you haven't. Maybe we'll remedy that."

"Not if you don't want me to mention the left-handed baseball glove to Zeke."

Sharpay's cheeks reddened slightly and she gave her friend a displeased look. "Fair enough."

"Oh, now I'm intrigued," Troy teased, "on both counts."

"Get unintrigued," both girls shot back, smiling at each other conspiratorially before laughing and then changing the subject.

Troy shook his head. This felt good...natural. It was great experiencing her world. He told her so. And later that night, she told him about the glove and the baseball player who had given it to Sharpay with his number on it during her bachelorette party in case she changed her mind about the whole marriage thing. And that he had given her the glove after she had dramatically done the requisite bride-to-be blowjob shot with him as her willing participant. Well, she _was_ quite the actress. She had done nothing wrong but had still felt like she didn't care to relive that moment, as it wasn't one of her finest. And it had taken a few minutes for her to even remember why she had the glove when she woke up with it underneath her imprinted cheek the morning after the bachelorette festivities.

Troy laughed heartily at the account, picturing a flustered, hungover Sharpay and a random baseball glove. They fell asleep laughing and cuddled up to one another.

The wedding went off without a hitch and the bride, groom, and wedding party were relieved and happy. The reception was a lot of fun and Troy did capture parts of it with his camera but Sharpay also gently ordered him to put it down and go dance with his girlfriend, for which he was quite grateful. He was so proud to dance with her, so content to have her in his arms. And, after seeing that the reception ended smoothly, when she fell asleep on the ride back to her apartment, he didn't think twice about having her in his arms again, as he carried her up to her place and to her bed before slipping in beside her.

After brunch the next morning and seeing Sharpay and Zeke off as they left for the airport for their trip to Tahiti, Troy and Gabriella found themselves lazing around in bed. Gabriella was tired and a nap seemed appropriate but she still found she couldn't resist some afternoon lovemaking beforehand. As they lay spooned together, the late day sun seeping in from the bedroom windows, they spoke some more about their plans.

"I don't think I can get everything done in time to go back with you. Maybe, but three weeks…"

"It's fine. This is quite an endeavor. And if you change your mind too, I would understand."

Gabriella squeezed his hand. "I'm not going to change my mind. But I hope you know, you're going to spend a good portion of your time here doing manual labor. This place isn't going to pack itself up."

His mind saw the teasing grin on her face even though his eyes didn't. He feigned a weary sigh in her ear. "With you, it's always such hard work."

The innuendo was not lost on her and she couldn't decide whether to snort or to wriggle her ass against the area of his body that had been doing some hard work not that long ago. She settled for both. "And you always enjoy it."

"That I do."

She laughed lightly. "Good. I could enjoy watching you lifting and moving boxes and furniture."

"Just how much do you plan to bring with you?"

"Not that much, I promise, but I do need to gift, sell, store, or donate stuff I have here."

"True. Plenty of ogling opportunities for you then," he teased.

"I don't ogle. I…appreciate."

"Whatever you want to call it."

"We should probably list some things out, see if there are things you have that I also have that we don't need to duplicate and if there are things I have that you'd like us to have in the apartment."

"God, I love it when you talk lists to me."

"Shut up!"

"No, I really do. It's hot." She elbowed him playfully in the ribs and he chuckled. "It is. I like hearing you say anything that has to do with our future."

Those words sent goosebumps up and down her limbs. She bit her lip to control the ten megawatt smile that wanted to form on her lips.

"Well, then lucky for you, I can't seem to hush up and sleep yet."

"Plan away," he murmured into her hair.

"Okay. Well, I'll get a work visa. Of course, should that fall through, there's buffer to figure something else out. I know I can stay for 89 days without residency. There are some residency visas and a treaty/tourist visa but I'm not sure of the exact requirements yet for those. Taylor's helping me decipher it all. And I know...there are other ways…"

She didn't know why she'd said that. Okay, maybe she knew. She felt Troy's lips on the back of her shoulder. Then, she felt his hand moving to surround hers. It was comforting. He massaged her hand for several quiet moments, extending his caress to each of her fingers. He saved her ring finger for last, his thumb and forefinger lingering there, rubbing gently at the base. "We'll figure it out."

His whispered promise and his nonverbal one filled her with butterflies and warmth. She smiled into her pillow. Then she lifted their joined hands to her mouth and pressed her lips to the back of his. "Okay. I love you. You know that." It wasn't a question.

"I love you too."

They lay in pleasant, daydream-filled silence for several minutes and then Troy broke the silence again.

"I almost forgot. I have something else we need to factor into our move planning."

"Oh? What's that?"

"We have another wedding to attend. I mean, I'd like you to attend with me. It's in Kauai."

"Kauai? Nice!"

"Yeah, my friend Zac is getting married…end of September."

"Cool."

Troy chuckled to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just…it's a good thing he's getting married because you are totally his type. Once you see Ness, you'll understand."

Gabriella twisted around in his arms to face him and the sly grin that greeted her made her eyes widen and her mouth go slack. _Zac? Ness? Holy shit!_

* * *

A/N: That little ending there has been sitting drafted since October 2010 when this story began (yes, it's crazy that it has been two years but it's been a crazy two years...haha!). So, anyway, Z & V were still together. That said, you never know what could happen down the line, right? And the Hawaii-ness of it all...well, that's where we first saw their open coupleness and then saw it often there in subsequent years and where I like to imagine they might get married one day...and now it's also a shout out to adcgordon! ;) To all of you who have stuck around and to those who have just recently found this story, thank you for reading and making the writing of this story even more rewarding! And to those of you who have closely kept me motivated (you know who you are), mwah!

Now, Hurricane Sandy continued - Just wanted to add that I'm in an area that did lose some power and had some wind damage but my family has been blessed to not be affected by it (other than frightened kiddos and sleep-deprived parents). I have friends and extended family though who've seen worse over the past few days. I plan to donate to the Red Cross again. Perhaps you'd like to also if you feel so moved. And, maybe (read: probably) I'll adjust my donation amount depending on how many reviews I get for this chapter like I've done in the past. I'll still donate regardless but please drop me a line and let me know what you thought. I love your feedback so much! You guys are awesome! :-D

Finally, the few more fun bits I referenced - There's a short, little epilogue I should be posting soon. I also have some deleted/extended scenes and maybe some drabble to share. And, I'd like to put together a "Troy and Gabriella's Guide to Italy" for you, listing out all of the tour destinations/main attractions, since I know quite a few of you have said that this story has inspired you to travel to Italy. So, yep, I'll get those up when I get a chance. Ciao!


	33. Epilogue

**Escape to Love Epilogue**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-) This is purely a work done for leisure and not for profit and no copyright infringement is intended in the use of these characters, their setting, their dialogue or their situation.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **To every single person who stumbled across this story, added it and/or me to their alerts, favorited it and/or me, reviewed, pm'ed me, chatted about this in other places on the interwebs, in texts to each other, etc., thank you. It has made me so happy to know that this has brought enjoyment and enough interest to spur on discussions in various places. I want to say that it was definitely a pleasure to see your various ideas along the way in terms of how you thought this would end/their lives would progress. I was touched. I was amused. I was inspired. I was tempted to write up all of your different ideas and have a "choose your own ending" finish...haha! Virtual hugs to you all - you rock! So, yeah...much love. Enjoy! Oh, and happy birthday to at least one of you. ;)

* * *

_**Some time later...**_

Gabriella helped Troy spread the blanket out on the ground at their favorite spot by the steps and above the garden area. Smiling at one another, they sat down and Troy retrieved the extra blanket to wrap around them for warmth. It was a pretty chilly morning and they could see their breath in the air as they spoke quietly to each other. Gabriella eventually retrieved their thermos and poured espresso into a cup they shared, passing it between their eager hands and taking turns sipping the hot liquid. It stimulated their senses, helping them to awaken further as light began to seep across the sky around them. Florence lay quiet and still and unassumingly beautiful before them. The river down below lapped gently. The shadowed buildings promised the secrets of a lush history, the light beginning to brighten their walls teasing the revelation of these secrets. It was as enchanting as it was every time. They had come up here quite a few times since Gabriella had moved, generally coinciding with visits to the vineyard. It was, after all, not just one of the most beautiful spots in Italy; it was where they had first really started to get to know each other, where they had started to trust each other.

Looking around, Gabriella noted that there were only two other couples there and they sat at the opposite end of the plaza. That was nice. It was obviously a public place and privacy couldn't exactly be demanded or guaranteed, but it was still nice to find the place as quiet and peaceful as possible and since she felt kind of an illogical ownership of this place, she liked to be able to feel as though they were the only ones there when they visited to watch the sunrise. As the pinks, purples, blues, yellows, and oranges painted the sky, the hills, the architecture, and the water in varied stages, she leaned into the familiar heat and strength of the body that always melded so well with her own. It was as comforting as ever but she did notice that something seemed a little off today. Troy seemed a bit distracted. She searched her recollection of their recent conversations, trying to recall if there was something in particular that might be stressing him out right now. He was pretty caught up with all of his work though and she didn't think anything concerning was going on with their families or friends. She knew sometimes he just needed space to work through whatever was needing resolution in his mind, so she felt torn about bringing up her observation about him not seeming entirely in the moment. When Troy shifted next to her, she smiled up at him briefly and wondered if she was imagining the nervous energy she felt from him. She was about to turn to him again and ask him about it when he turned and drew her attention.

"Gabriella…"

She studied his face curiously. "What is it, Troy?"

"It's, um, you're beautiful," he breathed.

The smile rose up on her lips again naturally. "Well, thank you," she said, bemused but sincere.

He shook his head slightly as if to clear it and her eyes were drawn to his lips and then his eyes once more as he spoke again. "You're welcome but it's more than just physical beauty, though you have that in abundance. It's that your heart is beautiful. Your mind is beautiful. Your spirit is beautiful. You are…" Troy trailed off and looked and gestured around them. "Everything we come up here to enjoy, that everyone comes up here to experience, I have that in you. Don't get me wrong; I love this and I love sharing it with you and every time is special, but...I am in awe of the way the sun looks on your bare arm in bed in the morning and how perfect your nose feels when you rub it against my shoulder when you're trying not to wake up yet. My days feel complete when I hear you laugh as you Skype with your mother or your friends. You are a light in my life that doesn't diminish as a day goes on and disappear into the night. Your light is always there and I don't want that to ever change."

She was staring at him intensely, touched, speechless, trying to comprehend. She thought she did but waited with a wellspring of hope for further confirmation.

Troy took a shaky breath, seemingly as lost in her gaze as she was in his. "Gabriella Montez, if you let me...even if you don't...I will love you forever. I don't think I could make myself stop."

"I don't think I'd ever want you to," she breathed, unable to stop her natural response. It made Troy's lips start to curve into a gentle smile.

"Good."

She watched as he slipped from under their blanket and moved to the steps below them. Her heart pounded with anticipation as he lowered one knee to the second step down, his other foot braced on the first step. And when he dipped his right hand into his pocket and produced and opened the tiny velvet box, the morning's colorful rays glinting off its treasure beautifully, she stopped breathing for several perfect moments. He was her air.

"Let me love you forever. See every sunrise with me and every sunset for the rest of our lives, Gabriella. Be my wife."

She knew her answer. She'd known it for some time. But though her eyes were nearly overflowing with happy tears and the smile radiating from her face must have been answer enough, she still wanted the question she'd heard in her head from her mystery Prince Charming since she was a little girl. Because for all her teasing of him, she realized she was every bit of the cheesy romantic he was. And because, well, it was what she did...what she had done since she'd met him...demanded his best. Her memories of this made her smile as she nudged him that much further.

"Is there a question in there?" she asked huskily.

Troy chuckled past his emotion and she could tell by the look on his face he innately understood. "Yes. A very important one." He was teasing her back and she loved him all the more for it. "Will you marry me?"

"Si. And will you marry me?"

Troy laughed joyously, quirking his brow at her.

"You deserve to be asked too," she said simply. "And this marrying business better be two-sided," she joked.

"Si. Of course, si!" He leaned forward and met her lips for a kiss filled with excitement and completion. "But thank you for asking," he added as he pulled back, grinning, removing the ring from its box, and reaching for her left hand.

She placed it in his outstretched one and both felt and saw it tremble as he slid the ring onto her finger. He moved to sit next to her once more and their second blanket lay discarded behind them as they both stared at Gabriella's extended forearm and hand.

"Troy," she said softly, after a minute.

"Hm?"

"I will love you forever too. Don't try to stop me."

His hand rubbed slow circles on the small of her back as he leaned over and placed a lingering kiss to her temple. "I wouldn't dream of ever stopping you from doing something that made you happy," he whispered, smiling into her hair.

* * *

_**Some time later than that...**_

"You may now kiss your bride."

Sparkling blue eyes met joyous brown and their faces drew closer together.

"I'm going to kiss you now." His playfully whispered words teased her lips, which curved at the memory of their first kiss only steps from where they were currently standing. They couldn't possibly have known then that this was what their future held. As their lips separated several moments later and they turned to face their loved ones who had assembled for this special day, Gabriella's eyes fell on Francesca, now her nonna every bit as much as Troy's. Somehow, she got the sense that she had known and it filled Gabriella with warmth as she shared a look of gratitude with the older woman. Troy squeezed her hand and she squeezed back, looking up at him and seeing that he was gazing at his grandmother and all of their close friends and family as well. Even John, Johanna, Ivan, Jennifer, and her husband had come. They couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day at the vineyard and they couldn't have asked for better people in their lives. They both felt very blessed.

Deep into the evening festivities, Troy and Gabriella found themselves taking a breather from dancing and starting to walk away from their own reception for a few moments of private time. A familiar voice stopped them.

"You know, everyone will understand if you decide not to come back."

"What? Oh, nonna, no, we wouldn't do that," Troy assured.

"Nonsense. Gabriella, if today's been overly tiring and you just need to get out of here so you can lie down, it's perfectly understandable. And, Troy, if you need to just take care of your wife now, no one can fault you for that."

They both stared curiously at the smiling older woman. "No, nonna, really, we just wanted a few moments to talk alone. Selfishly," Gabriella explained with a blush. She knew they wanted to do a bit more than talking.

"It's a reasonable selfish. You should enjoy your time alone now, while you can."

Troy narrowed his eyes at her slightly. "What are you saying?"

Nonna smiled and shrugged, feigning innocence. "Nothing, dear. Just…you know you don't need to hide anything from me, right?"

Troy and Gabriella exchanged a look and then nodded warily at Francesca.

"Good. Now, go have your few moments alone. I'll cover for you."

"Ehrm, thanks nonna," Troy said, confused by the conversation but grateful he was still going to get to steal away for some brief quality time with his wife. His wife. He was bubbling over with happiness just knowing it was so.

Francesca smirked and then turned, starting to walk away in the direction of the still pretty active party. Gabriella and Troy were about to turn and continue their walk in the opposite direction when the words thrown back over nonna's shoulder made them freeze.

"Your secret's safe with me, dears. You're going to be wonderful parents."

Their eyes widened as they looked at each other, confirming there wasn't anything the other didn't know. Then, Gabriella called after Francesca. "Nonna…"

"Don't even start that!" Troy finished.

She didn't turn and they heard her gentle laughter drift into the night as they turned, giggling themselves, and headed toward the vines and the moonlight.

* * *

_**Somewhere in happily ever after...**_

"Hey babe, it smells great in here!" Troy called, announcing his arrival.

"Thanks!" Gabriella called back, waiting for him to make his way into the kitchen.

"Hey," he said more softly as he did, approaching her where she stood at the stove and leaning forward to give her a kiss.

"Hey," she returned just as softly. "How was the workshop?"

"Good...fun."

"Lots of people willing to suck up to ya, huh?"

Troy grinned. "Of course."

"Were any of them willing to do anything else?" Gabriella asked knowingly.

Troy gave her his best innocent shrug and expression. "No idea. All I did all day was think about getting to come home to you."

Gabriella laughed. "You're a master at sucking up, yourself, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Troy said, a twinkle in his eye, "but I'm not lying. I hope you don't mind but I'm just a bit too lazy to imagine up any clothing for you though."

Gabriella let out a light snort and shook her head at him. "Typical. Sorry to disappoint you," she teased, glancing down at her clothing meaningfully and turning back toward the stove.

Troy chuckled and moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "You never disappoint, Gabriella," he said, placing a sweet kiss against her neck and making her smile.

"Oh, you might want to hold off on that statement. I have no idea if this is going to be anywhere near as good as your mom's," she answered, indicating the pot of sauce that she was stirring on the stovetop.

"It may be better."

"Oh, now I know you're sucking up."

Troy laughed. "Have some faith."

"I'm just trying to keep your expectations low. I mean, I've watched your mom make it and I've tried to follow her instructions, but I'm just not sure."

"It'll be great."

"Sure."

"It will. It comes with the name."

"Oh, does it now?" she asked, turning her head to eye him playfully.

"Yes, Mrs. Bolton, it does," he said, capturing her lips again briefly. "My dad'll confirm that. My mom didn't perfect the recipe until after they were married."

"Oh, well, then it must be the name," she teased, rolling her eyes at him before turning back to look down into the red, sputtering liquid.

"Are you mocking me, woman?"

"Never."

"Hmph. Let's have a taste then and see if I'm right."

Gabriella paused before lifting the spoon up and blowing gently on its contents to cool the liquid down some. "Okay," she said, turning and holding the spoon up for him to taste. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Troy opened his mouth and sipped the liquid from the spoon. He started to make the face of someone who had just tasted something wretched, but then, seeing the concerned look on Gabriella's face, his expression turned into a humored smile. "It's delicious, babe."

"Jerk," she accused, elbowing him lightly in the ribs.

"You love me."

"That's debatable."

"Then, let's go debate it," Troy said suggestively, a devilish look in his eyes.

"But the sauce..."

"Will be just as delicious after a little more simmering," Troy said, reaching around her, retrieving the lid to the pot and placing it on it. Then, he removed the spoon from her hand, placed it down on the spoon rest, made sure the burner was indeed on low and then pulled his wife playfully toward their bedroom.

* * *

A/N: I had a typo, which has since been fixed, when I wrote my tumblr name in the last chapter. In case it caused any confusion and you are interested, it is everydayescapeartist dot tumblr dot com. It contains writing, fangirling, funnies, pretty pictures and random observations/ramblings by me mostly. Depending on the day, you'll see a fair amount of Zac or Josh or Ian or Chris...HSM, THG, TVD...whatever's floatin' my boat at the moment. I may or may not include some of my personal pics from Italy on there soon. We'll see, because sadly, they're kind of crap. Cheap point-and-shoot film camera and a good deal of photog. knowledge I did not have then. Sigh. Must go back and get better ones. ;) Anyway, here on ff, the E2L Italy guide and deleted/extended scenes and drabble to follow. :)


	34. DeletedExtendedAlt Scenes & Drabble

**Escape to Love Deleted/Alternate/Extended Scenes & Drabble**

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. **M** for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-) This is purely a work done for leisure and not for profit and no copyright infringement is intended in the use of these characters, their setting, their dialogue or their situation.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **So, yup, this is unpolished stuff and some of it may come across as quite random (hence, drabble), but here it is in case it provides any additional enjoyment. Oh, and there's more smut because, well, um, it's fun? ;)

* * *

**This is a deleted/alternate scene from ch. 16, at the pool:**

Jennifer observed all of this and at one point, when the girls had a moment alone, lounging along the edge of the pool, sipping drinks, she shared her additional thoughts on Gabriella's situation.

"Gabriella, David and I...well, I know we don't yet have this lifetime of love to draw experience from, but still, when he touches me, even the slightest brush of his hand against mine, I feel it...I really feel it...and there's no one there at that moment but him."

"That's wonderful, Jen."

"Thanks, but what I mean is...Ivan has had his arms around you several times tonight, lips grazing your back, and when I've looked at you, well, you've been looking for Troy."

"I..."

"Just my observation," Jennifer said, sliding back down into the water.

"Jen, Ivan is great."

"Ivan is great. I'm not disagreeing with you, there. But I think you know he's not great for you, not as more than a friend."

* * *

**Alternative for ch. 24 (but I like "calmer" Gabriella more):**

"You're married?! Married?! Oh, this can't be happening again..."

"Gabriella, what are you talking about?"

"I met Katherine, Troy...your wife."

"She's not my wife."

"Don't lie to me!"

"I'm not lying to you. She was my wife, but she's not anymore. The divorce was final seven months ago."

"Diiiiivorce?" Gabriella asked, taking a breath and sitting down on the bed." But she introduced herself as Mrs. Katherine Bolton."

"She's a bitch."

* * *

**Kind of another alternative for Gabriella's further confession around ch. 24:**

"What's wrong?"

Gabriella stared at the email glaring back at her from the laptop screen.

"blah blah blah (leaving his wife? just a hello?)

Love,

Michael"

Troy watched Gabriella with concern. Her face had gone ashen (or similar description).

"...he was married...and I was the idiot who didn't see it...didn't want to…"

"You were hurt, Troy, by a wife who didn't respect her wedding vows and slept with others she shouldn't have...and I slept with a husband who wasn't mine to sleep with."

"Gabriella, it's nowhere near the same."

"But I was like Luca, Troy...and you deserve better than that."

"No, you weren't. Stop beating yourself up so much."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Then, don't hurt me."

"But there's something else you need to know...and then you can decide if you still feel the same about me."

"What is it? You can tell me anything."

"Why do you still feel bad, Gabriella?"

"There's a part I haven't told you. After I found out, I saw Michael one more time. I wanted him to leave his wife for me. How incredibly selfish of me! I was the other woman, the mistress, the one in the wrong...and instead of walking away immediately, I still tried to steal a taken man. But he was part of the future I had envisioned. I didn't know how to just let that go."

* * *

**These are extended scenes from ch. 26. They might have been overload but, well, these two… ;)**

_(In Troy's office)_

"So, Professore, how might one go about earning some extra credit around here?" she purred, reaching down and starting to unbutton her blouse seductively.

Troy shook his head back and forth. "Sorry. I told you, remember? I don't grant that kind of extra credit."

Gabriella pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I remember. I just thought I might be an exception."

Troy thought about that for a moment. "If I make an exception for one person, then I might have to make exceptions for them all."

"Spoken like a true teacher...don't even think about it."

Troy's eyes sparkled as he moved closer to her. "I won't." He paused and then reached out, grabbing both sides of her unbuttoned blouse and pulling her closer to him. "You're more teacher than student anyway."

"Oh, really?"

"Mmmhmm."

"And what have I taught you?"

"That it's possible to find someone who's truly a perfect match for me. That love can feel stronger than I thought it could."

Gabriella stared up at him with wonder. He was almost too good to be true...but everything about him was true, and everything she felt for him was true. "You've taught me that too," she replied softly.

Troy leaned down and kissed her sweetly for several moments.

"Well, now I just feel a bit naughty, while you're all sweet and sincere over here," Gabriella said with a bit of chagrin.

Troy's lips curved upward. "Do you?" he teased, sliding his hands inside her shirt and up her sides. "Mmm...yes, you do."

Gabriella giggled at his antics. She giggled further as he lifted her up and plopped her bottom down on top of his desk. As he stood between her legs and slid his fingers into her hair, her giggling stopped. A feeling other than humor was taking over her.

Their lips met for a kiss that wasn't as sweet. "So...about this extra credit..." Troy began, sliding the sleeves of her blouse down her arms.

"Yes?" she asked expectantly, her eyes drifting from his down to his lips and back.

"The assignment's pretty straight forward," he continued, bringing his lips down to her neck and searing her there with the heat of his mouth.

Gabriella's eyes closed with pleasure as she listened to the words he continued to speak between kisses. "Just...enjoy...and try to keep quiet...so I don't get fired." As she heard and felt the husky chuckle that followed, the positives of Troy getting fired crossed Gabriella's mind, but she swiftly pushed those thoughts aside as selfish. She needed to focus on other things anyway...staying quiet in the midst of Troy's skilled loving wouldn't exactly be a simple assignment.

'Nope, not simple at all,' she thought as his fingers worked deftly on her bra clasps, unhooking them before tossing her bra onto the floor. She bit her lip on a moan as Troy's hand cradled her left breast and he brought his mouth down to close around the nipple, his tongue stimulating every nerve in that area. Then, he drug his mouth over to her other breast and lavished it with attention as well. Having been quite thorough, he then moved upward, taking over her mouth with all of the passion he was feeling. Gabriella clung to him and launched her own loving assault, meeting his tongue with her own, removing his shirt and unfastening his belt and pants. Her efforts were halted as Troy's hands gripped her buttocks and pulled her toward him so that she was flush against his still covered hips...hips that were thrusting forward, warming up for what they'd soon be doing without the barriers of clothing. Gabriella felt the pleasurable waves shoot through her at the intimate contact. She wrapped her legs around him as he continued to tease them both.

That didn't last for too long though before Troy was pushing her skirt up to her waist, sliding her underwear down her legs and easing her back down onto his desk. As his head nestled between her thighs, she brought her own arm across her mouth to muffle her sounds of pleasure. Troy had no mercy on her, bringing his hands up to fondle her breasts as his tongue pushed her toward and over the edge. Then, quickly shedding his lower body clothing and sheathing himself within a condom, he climbed up onto the desk and buried himself within her, his eyes intense with pleasure as they watched her accept the welcome intrusion.

"Professore," she managed breathily.

"Si?" he returned, playing along.

"I don't want extra credit."

"No?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

"No. Flunk me...so we can do this over and over again."

He grinned down at her before moving his lips to hover right over hers. "Done," he whispered, before capturing her mouth and beginning to move within her.

Every motion brought blissful sensations. He really was the best lover she'd ever had. It didn't surprise her how quickly she moved toward orgasm. The situation itself, hearing chatty passersby in the hallway, was kind of thrilling and Troy was a man who knew a woman's body and how to please it. But beyond that, it was him...the pleasure of doing this with him...the pleasure of being together. She didn't think that could ever get old. She lost herself to it and let his delicious mouth silence what she wasn't completely able to. Troy let go then as well, rocking her with his own release.

As they held to each other, panting quietly, Troy thought about how it was going to be a long semester. How could he come back here and not miss her constantly, not long for the feel of her beneath him, in his arms...just the feel of her any which way?

_(At Troy's apartment)_

When they were on their second load of laundry, with the first load in the dryer, Gabriella got up to check on the clothes she hoped were nearly dry. She had some dresses in the dryer she wanted to be prompt about removing so they didn't get too wrinkled, namely some she was considering for the upcoming party with Troy's parents.

As she shut the dryer door and reset the dials, she turned to see Troy entering the small room. "Still not dry?" he asked.

"No, still pretty damp actually. I just set it for another 30 minutes."

Troy nodded.

"Shall we go back and finish the movie?" Gabriella asked, seeing that Troy hadn't moved from his spot by the door.

"If you prefer."

"And what is my other option?" she asked, eyeing him curiously.

Troy licked his lips and blushed slightly as he considered his answer. "I hear there's more to be done in a laundry room than laundry. Ever written an article on that, Montez?"

"No, can't say as I have. I've never done the research," she answered coyly.

"Mmm, maybe you should," Troy said smoothly, taking a step toward her.

"And how would I begin this research?" she asked, staying rooted to her spot, anticipating.

Troy glanced at the washing machine dials. "I hear a good spin cycle can be unforgettable."

Gabriella looked over to see that the washer was nearing the beginning of that cycle. 'How convenient,' she thought, the corners of her lips curving slightly. She raised her eyebrows at him as he took another step to close the gap between them. She slipped her arms around his neck as his lips met hers. She allowed him to remove her clothing and lift her so that she was sitting with her legs dangling over the side of the washer. The metal felt cool beneath her and the current swishing motions of the machine felt interesting...certainly a different feeling. Troy continued to kiss her and to run his hands over her body, stimulating her as he did so well. She felt his hands slide up her thighs, spreading them further apart. Then, he just stepped back and looked at her appreciatively and she felt incredibly turned on...which made her feel a bit brazen too.

"So, what exactly do they suggest one do to take advantage of a good spin cycle?" she asked, holding his gaze.

Troy felt his member twitch as it strained to be free of its cotton confines. "They say that some women enjoy pleasuring themselves with the added stimulation."

She could read the slight nervousness with which he offered this statement, despite his general confidence and the intimacy they already felt between them. The machine became silent for a moment as it adjusted its settings. She felt further emboldened. "Like this?" she asked, seeing his smoldering gaze as she slid her hand down her body and into the vee between her legs.

Troy managed a nod as he watched his girlfriend's hand begin to move and saw her wet her lips with her tongue.

She might have felt much too nervous about doing this if she didn't feel so comfortable with him and so aroused by the situation. As it was, seeing how mesmerized he looked, she went ahead and spread her thighs just a bit further. "You should take off your shirt," she instructed.

Troy did so swiftly. He watched her tease herself, coax the wetness from within, and as the spinning motion of the machine began, he saw surprise and increased pleasure reflected in her expressions as she let the vibrations help get her where she wanted to go. He watched her building tension reach its crescendo, saw her eyes closed, her hand stop as she just enjoyed the sensations. He wanted to place his mouth over hers and drink in her pants and small exclamations, but, on the other hand, he couldn't bring himself to move. It was such a beautiful thing to see.

As her breathing began to even, he couldn't resist any longer. He launched toward her and slammed his lips against hers. He heard her moan as their tongues met in a fiery tangle. His erection was straining for the ceiling at this point but he still had other ideas in mind. He slid his fingers up her thighs as he'd done earlier but this time they had more purpose. He groaned with pleasure as he found her heat.

"My God, you've gotten yourself so wet," he exclaimed, pulling back from her lips and eyeing her intensely.

"For you," she answered huskily, watching him closely.

His lips captured hers again passionately and she felt his fingers begin to tease and stroke her sensitive flesh. He continued to do so as his mouth moved down her torso. Then, his hands came around to support her back as he bent down and lifted one of her legs and then the other over his shoulders. Gabriella brought her own hands behind her to rest on the washer's surface as Troy's tongue ran over her tiny bud. She shuddered and wondered if he'd noticed in light of the way the machine was already shaking her body.

He'd noticed. Troy felt heady from the scent of her that filled the room and his nostrils. It was intoxicating...motivating. He darted his tongue in and out of his mouth, teasing her with light tastes. The vibrations from the machine reached his face through her and he knew he couldn't make this last for too long. Still, he did his best to be deliberate.

"Troy," Gabriella panted above him and his control wained. He started to lap at her with earnest, hearing her moans and feeling her thigh muscles tense. He kept up his tempo and was soon gratified with the signs of her second orgasm. He kissed her inner thighs and her stomach as she calmed down. She pulled him up and looked him in the eyes. "I want you inside of me," she breathed.

Troy quickly considered the height possibilities but Gabriella was a step ahead of him. Pushing him backward gently, she slid down from the washing machine, pausing slightly on unsteady legs before moving over to lean against the dryer. The heat of it felt good against her skin and the dryer's motions were lighter and more subtle than the washer's, enough to set her nerves to awareness but not to chafe her unpleasantly. She looked over her shoulder and beckoned Troy to her.

Having gotten the message loud and clear, Troy pulled his pants down and readied himself behind her. He placed his hands on her hips and lifted her a little and she curled her hands around the dial panel to help him support her weight. He slid into her slowly, fighting for his own control. She felt so slick and hot. "I might not last long," he warned, his lips against her shoulder.

"Me either," Gabriella responded with a light laugh, gripping more tightly to the dryer panel.

Troy chuckled. "I guess we'll make it count then," he said huskily, placing a few kisses on her back and then beginning a slow thrusting motion inside of her. Becoming more comfortable with the positioning, the thrusts became more steady until they were fast and hard.

In her position perched over and pressed against the front of the dryer, the motions within the machine did heighten her sensitivity and add to her pleasure, as did the angle with which Troy was reaching her. Gabriella felt her body take off once more but in the unique way it did when she was joined to him. His thrusts continued until she felt him press her more tightly to the metal and felt his body jerking with its climax.

The sound of their harsh breathing became louder within the room as the washer came to a stop. A minute later, the dryer halted as well. Troy slowly backed up and helped her stand and turn to face him. His lips landed on hers once more and their kiss was tired but sweet. They dressed in an unhurried manner and grinned at each other as they set about removing the clothes from the dryer and refilling it with the second load. Troy took the dry clothes in one arm and placed the other around Gabriella's shoulders as they exited the room.

"So, now that you've done the research, what do you think?"

"I think," she said, looking up at him, "that I like doing laundry with you."

"I think you're amazing."

Gabriella grinned, thinking that Troy might be able to make any mundane situation exciting and that he made her feel more exciting and alive. She knew that was something she would not want to relinquish now that she'd experienced it.

* * *

**Optional ch. 32 cheesy Troy line:**

"Now it's your turn, tour guide. Show me everything else I should love in Chicago."

* * *

**Random drabble (lines, ideas) that could have gone in various places:**

"Why do you feel the need to just hook up with a girl and then move on to the next?"

"I haven't been able to hold on to a girl, so I just accepted that and I enjoy the short-term."

…

"And did you two have a nice time exploring?"

"Jen!"

…

(Gabriella's article)

It's not just a feature story; it's my story...our story.

…

"Your lips were made for kissing. They are like the inner petals of a rose…" Use maybe with rose petals pulled across her lips...sensual scene?

...

"It's too bad we didn't fully take advantage of our chocolate spa experience."

"It's funny you should mention that..." (cue chocolate sexiness)

...

Some church naughtiness…

"Forgive me father, for I have sinned…"

"You're so going to hell, woman...you know that, right?"

...

The next day, Gabriella was still turning yesterday's conversations with Troy over in her head. Their conversations were so up and down and all over the place and she wondered why they ran on a continuous loop in her head.

...

Pisa: (for another area or recalling Pisa?)

"That's how I feel when I'm with you...all tilted, off balance...and thinking that's a special thing, but still scary."

…

Another way they could have reunited in the end:

She has to come back to Italy for follow up assignment...Ivan contacts her editor for Troy and her friends are in on it...

* * *

A/N: From the epilogue, as some of you have asked, to the best of Troy and Gabriella's knowledge, they are not pregnant. That was the look of confirmation they shared with each other there, confirming there wasn't anything one hadn't told the other. Nonna is a fabulous meddler and a wise woman. Does she know something they don't? Or is she just messing with them or being wishful? You can decide. I see it one way but I like that folks have seen it in more than one. :) Also, I would never rule out a sequel but I make no promises either, though I am very flattered by the request for one. I've also tossed around the idea of writing up John's and Francesca's love stories as companion pieces. Mostly though, I am pretty happy with this story as it stands. If my muse moves me in the direction of a related piece in one way or another, I'll go there. But for now, my muse is pushing me in other directions. Some are Troyella and some are pairings in other fandoms. I hope you'll continue to check out my other works as they interest you. :) Troyella Italy Guide to be posted soon!


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